Chemical pollutants are a major issue in many parts of the U.S., but the problem is that in many cases, even cutting-edge discoveries aren't enough to fully understand the impact they have. Put another way, scientists may be able to discern quite easily that a chemical is harmful, but really do not yet fully understand the extent of the harm.
Just such an issue is currently swirling around the controversial chemicals per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances – also known as PFAS – that are used in many household products, according to National Public Radio. However, because they're so often used in everything from food wrappers to umbrellas, jackets and carpets, contamination is increasingly common – not only in the environment but in people as well, usually through soil or drinking water.
"We're finding them contamination many rivers, many lakes, many drinking water supplies," Linda Birnbaum, director of the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences and the National Toxicology Program, told NPR. "And we're finding them not only in the environment, but we're finding them in people. Essentially everyone has these compounds in our blood."
Currently, because there are many different types of PFAS, scientists often don't know whether every individual chemical may have long-term health effects or what those might be, the report said. Research is ongoing, but because of the lack of uniformity, there's also a lack of regulatory control over what constitutes a safe amount of PFAS in any given product. Birnbaum added that the effects of the vast majority of the more than 5,000 such chemicals are little-known. Early studies have, however, indicated health risks from PFAS exist.
Tough for lawmakers
Because of these facts, even the lawmakers who want to more heavily regulate PFAS use in various household products have trouble doing so, according to the Bucks County Courier Times. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has been loath to issue any regulations on the chemicals, but legislators in Pennsylvania want more action as soon as possible because so many of their constituents' communities are affected by such contamination.
One of the issues is regulators have little control over military behavior in their state, and the Department of Defense – one of the world's single largest polluters – often relies heavily on PFAS-laden firefighting materials, the report said. As such, the Keystone State's Department of Environmental Protection recently announced it will start setting new drinking water and environmental safety standards, even without the support of the EPA.
Another issue
Along similar lines to what's happening in Pennsylvania, an official from the Air Force recently met with people in Oscoda, Michigan, about PFAS contamination at a closed Air Force base, according to Michigan Public Radio. John Henderson, assistant secretary of the Air Force for installations, environment and energy, held a town hall after it was found that PFAS, which had been seeping into the ground from the base for decades, had contaminated local drinking water.
This comes at the same time as the Air Force has allegedly tried to dodge responsibility for similar clean-up efforts by citing sovereign immunity from state regulation, the report said.
With all this in mind, it's important for everyone from average citizens to top officials to closely monitor progress around PFAS research so they can better understand how the issue may affect them.
