The United States is facing another crisis, one that involves its public water systems.
According to a report released by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) on Nov. 20, per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), also known as forever chemicals, have been found to pollute 2,394 water sites, exposing millions of Americans to these man-made fluorinated chemicals that have been classified as “possible human carcinogens.”
Researchers from the Environmental Working Group (EWG) estimate that more than 200 million Americans are currently drinking water contaminated with these cancer-causing chemicals. PFAS earned the moniker “forever chemicals” because of their high resistance to breakdown, which allows them to persist in nature. PFAS also accumulates inside the body and can cause significant damage and toxicity even at low levels.
Back in 2012, a panel consisting of three epidemiologists were tasked to evaluate whether there is a probable link between exposure to perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), a PFAS chemical also known as C8, and any human disease. After monitoring the health of 69,000 residents of West Virginia who were exposed to C8 in their drinking water, the panel concluded that there is a probable link between C8 exposure and high cholesterol, ulcerative colitis, thyroid disease, testicular cancer and kidney cancer.
A recent study published in JNCI: Journal of the National Cancer Institute also linked 2-(N-methylperfluorooctanesulfonamido)acetic acid, a PFAS that has been found in watersheds, to acute lymphoblastic leukemia, the most common childhood cancer in the world. The study also found an association between exposure to high levels of perfluorooctanesulfonic acid (PFOS), another PFAS chemical used in many consumer and industrial products such as carpets, upholstered furniture, non-stick cookware and leather products, and a increased risk of acute lymphoblastic leukemia in children. […]
— Read More: www.naturalnews.com
