EPA Identifies Over 120,000 Sites in US That Exposes People to PFAS Toxic 'Forever Chemicals'

The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has discovered over 120,000 places all over the US where residents may be exposed to a certain type of toxic "forever chemicals" linked to various cancers and other health issues that is a disturbing amount four times larger than the one reported in the past, as per data which the Guardian obtained.

(Photo : Getty Images)

PFAS 'Forever Chemicals' 

From the list of facilities, it is clear that almost no area in America seems free from the possible risk of water and air contamination with the chemicals referred to as per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances - PFAS.

Colorado is the highest in the EPA list with about 21,400 facilities, after Calorado we have the 13,000 sites in California and then Oklahoma with just below 12,000.

The listed facilities cover dozens of industrial sectors, like oil and gas work, waste management, chemical manufacturing, mining, plastics, and landfill operations. Places like fire training facilities, airports, and some sites related to the military are also included.

This list was described by EPA as its "facilities in industries that may be handling PFAS". It described most of the facilities as "active" while several thousand are listed as "inactive" and many other facilities didn't show any sign of such status.

Also Read: Toxic 'Forever Chemicals' Are Contaminating Indoor Air at an Alarming Rate

People Exposed to Toxic Forever Chemicals 

Most of the time, PFAS are called "forever chemicals" and this is because they last long in the environment, so even sites that don't actively release pollutants can still pose a problem, as per the EPA.

The tally surpasses a past analysis by far that showed 29,900 industrial sites known or believed to be producing or making use of the toxic chemicals.

A public health toxicologist and Connecticut department of health emeritus director of environmental epidemiology, David Brown said, it is certain that people inhabiting close to such facilities will be exposed to PFAS chemicals and some exposure will be at very high levels.

Brown said he has a suspicion that there are more sites than even those already listed which pose long-term health risks for unsuspecting residents living close to them.

(Photo : Getty Images)

Handling Sites of PFAS 

"Once it's in the environment it almost never breaks down. This is such a potent compound in terms of its toxicity and it tends to bioaccumulate ... This is one of the compounds that persist forever," Brown said of PFAS.

An analysis from Guardian of the EPA data set reveals that in Colorado, just a county - Weld county - accommodates over 8,000 potential handling sites of PFAS, with about 7,900 said to be oil and gas operations.

As per the Guardian analysis, the list of industry sectors the EPA reveal could possibly be handling PFAS chemicals is led by oil and gas operations.

Related Article: U.S. Water Supply Contaminated by 42,000 Toxic "Forever Chemicals"

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