‘Forever chemicals’ are in your popcorn—and your blood
10 Oct 2019 | Wired
According to a recently published peer-reviewed study, the more often people eat at home, the lower their level of PFAS chemicals. Also, people who reported eating microwave popcorn had significantly higher levels of four types of PFAS. Additionally, the study linked PFAS levels in blood to a diet high in shellfish, which can accumulate those chemicals from contaminated water.
To reduce PFAS levels in food, cook at home
9 Oct 2019 | Consumer Reports
A new study finds eating out and getting takeout may expose you to more toxic PFAS chemicals than eating meals prepared at home.
Toxic PFAS chemicals found in artificial turf
8 Oct 2019 | The Intercept
PFAS chemicals have been identified in synthetic turf, according to lab tests performed on several samples of the artificial grass that were shared with The Intercept. The presence of the chemicals, members of a class that has been associated with multiple health problems, including cancer, adds to growing concerns about the grass replacement that covers many thousands of acres in parks, schools, professional sports stadiums, and practice fields around the U.S.
Firefighting foam leaves toxic legacy in Californians’ drinking water
8 Oct 2019 | Los Angeles Times
California regulators say there is little they can do to speed up the military’s testing or cleanup efforts around its contaminated bases. Because the EPA has delayed setting a standard for cleaning up groundwater contamination, the military has avoided large-scale remediation costs.
Michigan House of Reps passes AFFF bills
5 Oct 2019 | Alpena News
A package of three bills that would keep better tabs on the amount of hazardous firefighting foam used in the state was passed in the state House and is headed to the Senate.
Judge asks for crash course in the science of PFAS chemicals
4 Oct 2019 | Bloomberg Environment
A judge in South Carolina before embarking on a major “forever chemicals” case is asking to arrange a crash course.These types of ‘Science Days’ becoming more frequent in complex liability suits.
[Press release] UN experts recommend elimination of additional hazardous chemicals to protect human health and the environment
4 Oct 2019 | Stockholm Convention Press Release
More than 100 scientific experts, from all over the world, attended the 15th meeting of the Stockholm Convention’s Persistent Organic Pollutants Review Committee (POPRC-15), in Rome under the auspices of the United Nations, and recommended that a group of hazardous chemicals (PFHxS and related compounds) be eliminated in order to better protect human health and the environment from its harmful impacts.
Testing for PFAS on Cape Cod: STEEP Team visits Barnstable, Yarmouth
4 Oct 2019
46 percent of 101 private wells tested in 12 Cape towns contained at least one PFAS chemical. Two or more PFAS chemicals were detected in 28 percent of the wells. Three percent had PFAS levels exceeding a new, stricter groundwater standard of 20 ppt for six emerging chemical. Presentations from STEEP Science Day are available online at web.uri.edu/steep/news-events/science-day-2/
Federal judge’s ruling allows class action suit against PFAS makers to proceed
3 Oct 2019 | EWG Press Release
This class action includes every U.S. resident with detectable levels of PFAS chemicals in their blood and who have claimed they have been injured as a result of being exposed.
3M suit aims to block tougher PFAS standards for water in NH
1 Oct 2019 | GateHouse Media
Chemical company 3M – along with the Plymouth Water & Sewer District, a Center Harbor farmer and a second company – filed a lawsuit against the state Department of Environmental Services seeking to block the implementation of new standards for a series of PFAS chemicals.
Landmark class action over PFAS contamination in Australia announced by Erin Brockovich
29 Sep 2019 | ABC News
It's the largest class action Australia has ever seen — four times larger than the Black Saturday class action of 2009 — and involves people across the country.
Michigan steps closer to PFAS standards for drinking water
28 Sep 2019 | Traverse City Record Eagle
The Michigan PFAS Action Response Team unanimously voted to draft rules founded on the health-based values recommended by a science advisory work group.
Temple researchers will look at link between PFAS and cancer
27 Sep 2019
Researchers at Temple University’s College of Public Health have been awarded a grant to look at potential links between PFAS-contaminated drinking water and cancer as part of a national, federally funded health study. The study will involve seven sites across the country, including Bucks and Montgomery counties in Pennsylvania and Gloucester County in New Jersey.
Drinking water serving 7.5 million Californians contaminated with ‘forever chemicals,’ new report says
27 Sep 2019 | CNN Wire
According to the EWG review of water samples taken between 2013 and 2019, water sources for 74 community water systems -- serving 7.5 million people in California -- have been contaminated with PFAS.
EPA: 3M discharged chemicals without required permit, took years to disclose reporting errors
26 Sep 2019 | WHNT News 19
A U.S. EPA inspection report found high levels of perfluorinated chemicals from discharge sites, noted 3M lacks a state discharge permit for a chemical that it's already been discharging and pointed out 3M waited three years to inform regulators about hundreds of instances of incorrect discharge information it had filed.