
Nearly two million Australians may have been exposed to cancer-causing substances in their drinking water, according to a major research report.
‘Forever chemicals’ can remain in the human body for a long time, which is a significant cause for concern.
The World Health Organization has just concluded that perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) causes cancer in humans. The United States Environmental Protection Agency has also determined that perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) and perfluoroalkyl acrylate (PFOA) are both harmful at water levels.
Nevertheless, the maximum permissible amount of PFOA in Australia’s drinking water is 140 times greater than in the US, despite the fact that specialists think this compound is carcinogenic.
Chemicals have been found in drinking water across the nation since 2010, affecting almost 1.8 million people.
Although the last public surveys were carried out over a decade ago, several water companies have recently undertaken their own testing. Interestingly, these analyses did find traces of the compounds in several places, sometimes in much greater concentrations.
In 2020, an alarming finding was made at Norfolk Island, a famous tourist spot 1,600 kilometers northeast of Sydney. The chemical concentrations discovered were 635 times greater than the safe limit in Australia and thousands of times higher than the legally mandated limit in the United States.
The now-decommissioned water bore supplied the water for the public restrooms, fire station, and hospital.
The municipalities of Ayr, Bundaberg, and Macknade in Queensland had their water supply decommissioned after additional readings highlighted concerns about them.
There is a four-part-per-trillion limit for PFOA and PFOS in American drinking water. In contrast, Australia’s standards allow far greater concentrations, including 560 ppt of PFOA and 70 ppt of PFOS.
The use of “forever” chemicals has skyrocketed since their invention in the 1940s. They are used in firefighting foam, nonstick cookware, stain-resistant carpets, and waterproof outerwear.
In 2023, the multinational manufacturing corporation 3M settled with public water bodies in the United States for $10.3 billion. After handling more than 4,000 cases, 3M and other chemical corporations reached this settlement.