Exclusive: Experts ‘alarmed’ after potentially toxic chemicals detected in sources at 17 of England’s 18 water firms

Potentially toxic “forever chemicals” have been detected in the drinking water sources at 17 of 18 England’s water companies, with 11,853 samples testing positive, something experts say they are “extremely alarmed” by.

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) – a group of 10,000 or so human-made chemicals widely used in industrial processes, firefighting foams and consumer products – were found in samples of raw and treated water tested by water companies last year, according to the Drinking Water Inspectorate (DWI), the Guardian and Watershed Investigations has found.

  • @rosymind@leminal.spaceEnglish
    5•1 year ago

    They’re in water, anything that uses that water, and cumulatively collected.

    Not that I advocate eating whale, but people who eat whale are very likely to have high PFAs and should limit their consumption

    Almost all of us have them in our bodies. They disrupt the immune system, particularly the parts that help remove cancer cells. Cancer of the liver, panceas and I forgot which other… (testicular maybe?) are the most common cancers to get from pfas exposure

    Women/birthing people pass their pfas on to their children