Standing in the rain and allowing it to trickle down our throats is a favorite childhood memory, particularly after a summer dry spell. But according to a new study, drinking rainwater is now hazardous to our health.
John,
Standing in the rain and allowing it to trickle down our throats is a favorite childhood memory, particularly after a summer dry spell.
But according to a new study, drinking rainwater is now hazardous to our health.
And not just in the United States. Environmental scientists are finding harmful rainwater PFAS chemicals in areas as remote as Tibet and Antarctica.
The consequences are devastating. Hazardous PFAS pollutants are often called “forever chemicals” because they break down slowly over time, having a long-term impact on our immune systems.
Ironically, these pollutants were integral to America’s booming economy in the post-war economy of the 1940s and 1950s. Manufacturers developed thousands of PFAS for use in products such as nonstick cookware, stain-resistant fabrics, and waterproof clothing.
The deadly downside, however, is the same PFAS become health hazards once they leach into the water cycle as pollutants.
The danger of PFAS has been known for decades. Manufacturers in most nations have stopped producing them, with the notable exception of China.
Here’s the ongoing challenge, however:
The latest study shows that PFAS are resilient and not fading from our global ecosystem.
The study’s conclusion is blunt: “The global spread of PFAAs in the atmosphere has led to the planetary boundary for chemical pollution being exceeded.”
While the situation is dire, John, there are steps the U.S. government and others can take to slow down the impact. These include:
Providing research and development incentives and funding for businesses to bring to market cleanup technologies that can help remove these chemicals;
Pressuring China to stop producing and consuming PFAS;
Preventing leaching from old landfills by sealing them and treating leachate while incinerating waste materials at high temperatures;
Promoting safe and sustainable alternatives to PFAS.
The innocent pleasure of our childhood is now hazardous to our health, John. That’s why SEEC members of Congress are prioritizing legislative action to protect our water supply at home and around the world.
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