Study: PFAS filters could also cut other cancer-linked chemicals
>> NUMBER ONE SOURCE FOR LOCAL
NEWS. THIS IS WRAL.
>> A NEW STUDY FINDS THAT
FILTERS DESIGNED TO REMOVE
TOXIC FOREVER CHEMICALS MAY
ALSO REMOVE OTHER CANCER LINKED
CONTAMINANTS FROM YOUR DRINKING
WATER, WRAL, ENVIRONMENTAL
REPORTER LIZ MCLAUGHLIN
EXPLAINS WHAT THE FINDINGS MEAN
FOR YOUR HEALTH.
PFAS OFTEN CALLED FOREVER.
CHEMICALS ARE MANMADE COMPOUNDS
FOUND IN EVERYDAY PRODUCTS AND
FIREFIGHTING FOAM. THEY BUILD
UP IN THE BODY AND THE
ENVIRONMENT AND HAVE BEEN
LINKED TO SERIOUS HEALTH
PROBLEMS. A NEW STUDY SHOWS
TREATMENT SYSTEMS THAT REMOVE
PFAS CAN ALSO FILTER OUT OTHER
HARMFUL CHEMICALS AND SOME
NORTH CAROLINA UTILITIES ARE
ALREADY PLANNING UPGRADES.
A STUDY BY THE ENVIRONMENTAL
WORKING GROUP ANALYZED 19
UTILITIES NATIONWIDE THAT
INSTALLED ADVANCED TREATMENT
SYSTEMS LIKE GRANULAR ACTIVATED
CARBON ION EXCHANGE IN
REVERSE OSMOSIS. RESEARCHERS
FOUND THOSE UPGRADES LOWERED
PFAS AND OTHER POLLUTANTS,
INCLUDING DISINFECTION
BYPRODUCTS CHEMICALS FORMED
WHEN CHLORINE REACTS. WITH
ORGANIC MATTER, SOME OF THOSE
BUY PRODUCTS HAVE BEEN LINKED
TO CANCER, LIVER DAMAGE AND
REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH RISKS THAT
ARE NEVER ACTED ALONE.
>> SO WHEN SYSTEMS ARE
DETECTING PFAS, THEY'RE ALSO
DETECTING OTHER CONTAMINANTS
AND SYSTEMS REQUIRE ADVANCED
FILTRATION TO ADDRESS THAT
CONTAMINATION. BUT THAT THOSE
TREATMENT TYPES ARE EFFECTIVE
FOR MANY OTHER CONTAMINANTS
AS WELL.
>> FAYETTEVILLE PUBLIC WORKS
COMMISSION PLANS TO BUILD
116 MILLION DOLLAR FILTRATION
SYSTEM IN 2026. TO REMOVE PFAS
TESTS SHOW HE COULD ALSO CUT
OTHER CONTAMINANTS, RALEIGH
WATER ALREADY MEETS CURRENT
PFAS LIMITS, BUT HAS SET ASIDE
170 MILLION FOR POSSIBLE
UPGRADES. IF RULES GET
STRICTER. THE EPA SAID ITS
FIRST NATIONAL PFAS DRINKING
WATER STANDARDS LAST YEAR WITH
STRICT LIMITS ON SEVERAL
CHEMICALS. FEDERAL REGULATORS,
THOUGH, ARE NOW CONSIDERING
CHANGES THAT COULD REGULATE
FEWER COMPOUND AND GIVE
UTILITIES MORE TIME TO COMPLY