‘Forever chemicals’ found in 76% of Pennsylvania streams sampled

By Frank Kummer | The Philadephia Inquirer | August 24, 2023

Read the full article by Frank Kummer (The Philadephia Inquirer)

"Pennsylvania is known by anglers and outdoor enthusiasts for its thousands of miles of streams and rivers that lace the rugged Allegheny Mountains, rolling farmlands, and cities such as Pittsburgh and Philadelphia. Many of those waterways supply drinking water for millions.

But a study by the U.S. Geological Survey found that many of those waterways are also tainted by so-called forever chemicals. The USGS sampled streams across Pennsylvania and found that 76% of them contained the presence of at least one compound from the per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) family, according the first study of its kind looking at the problem across a single state and associating possible sources.

PFAS are a group of 12,000 man-made chemicals that have been used widely to make a range of products such as nonstick cookware, stain-resistant furniture, the linings of fast-food boxes, and firefighting foam."

Topics:

• ChemicalsPFAS
• Environment
• Wildlife
• Affected community
• Health
• Measurement Techniques
• Monitoring Data
• PFAS Uses