April 8, 2019
A group of substances known as PFAS chemicals are behind a variety of everyday conveniences that make our lives a little bit easier.
They line pizza boxes and fast-food packaging so grease doesn’t seep through, form the nonstick coating on many pans, make fabrics and carpets stain-resistant, and help outdoor gear and clothing repel water.…
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January 3, 2019
For decades, the United States Air Force used a toxic firefighting foam that contaminated water near bases and exposed communities to chemicals linked to cancer and a variety of other health problems.
Commercial airports are currently required to follow standards outlined in military specifications, which call for fluorinated foams to be used.
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November 28, 2018
For 10 years, some residents in Denmark, South Carolina, have been suspicious of the rust-colored water coming from their taps. They’ve been collecting samples in jars and using bottled or spring water, even though the local and state government assured them it was safe.
But through a Freedom of Information Act request and a one-year investigation, CNN has found new information that may cast doubts on those assurances.…
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October 2, 2018
There are more than 4,000 different chemicals in this family, including two common ones called “PFOA” and “PFOS.” PFAS chemicals are known for their durability – they are incredibly resistant to most elements, which is why they’ve been used in materials ranging from waterproof shoes to firefighting foam to non-stick pots and pans since the 1950s.…
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October 2, 2018
A provision in legislation to reauthorize the Federal Aviation Administration allow airports to use firefighting foams that don’t contain fluorinated chemicals.
Commercial airports are currently required to follow standards outlined in military specifications, which call for fluorinated foams to be used.
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August 16, 2018
It’s been about three weeks since Tammy Cooper last drank water from her tap. That’s when she saw a warning on Facebook for residents of her small Western Michigan town to stop drinking the water.
In Michigan, water main breaks aren’t unusual, although they’re more common in winter. It didn’t immediately strike Cooper as out of the ordinary to not be able to drink the water.…
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We’ve heard the stories about lead poisoning in Flint, Michigan. The situation is appalling, infuriating, heartbreaking. But, as NY Times columnist Nick Kristof writes in Are You a Toxic Waste Disposal Site?,“many parts of America have even higher rates of child lead poisoning than Flint.” And lead is only one of the industrial chemicals found in drinking water. …
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