How PFAS 'forever chemicals' are removed from contaminated drinking water at treatment plants

By Fleur Connick | ABC News | January 14, 2025

Read the full article by Fleur Connick (ABC News)

"Forever chemicals" are almost impossible to avoid. They can be found in clothes, cosmetics, furnishings, non-stick cookware, food packaging — and, in rare occasions, end up in water from the kitchen tap.

The chemicals, technically known as per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances or PFAS, encompass a class of more than 14,000 synthetic compounds.

As their nickname suggests, forever chemicals persist in the environment, taking hundreds to thousands of years to naturally break down, and there are growing concerns about their potential health effects in humans."

Location:

• OceaniaAustralia

Topics:

• ChemicalsPFAS
• Environment
• Wildlife
• ImpactDrinking water
• ImpactDrinking waterPrivate wells
• Affected community
• Health