(USA TODAY) – Nearly half of the tap water in the United States is estimated to have at least one type of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substance, or PFAS, a national study from the U.S. Geological Survey shows.
The group of chemicals, commonly used in consumer products like nonstick cookware and linings of fast-food boxes, have been linked to human illnesses like cancer, low birth weight and thyroid disease. The agency claims it’s the first comprehensive study of its kind on unregulated private wells – giving average consumers information about the risks of PFAS when they grab a glass of water from their kitchen sink, said Kelly Smalling, the study’s lead author and research hydrologist.
“It kind of begins to give private users information on some of the exposure risks,” Smalling said.
