“A new study concluded that high levels of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances compounds used in pesticides aerially sprayed on millions of acres of land across the United States have contaminated the water of thousands of communities. The Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility recently released the results of these “forever chemicals,” which don’t break down in the environment and build up in the human body.
Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are “a group of man-made chemicals that includes PFOA, PFOS, GenX, and many other chemicals,” which are “very persistent in the environment and in the human body—meaning they don’t break down and they can accumulate over time,” according to the EPA. With these “forever chemical” building up in the blood stream of the human body, exposure to PFAS can lead to suppressed immune function, thyroid disease, testicular and kidney disease, cancers, and liver damage.”