How to Stop PFAS, “Forever Chemicals,” From Forever Affecting Your Life
You’ve probably heard the phrases, “Forever yours,” “Forever and a day,” and “Forever after.” Those words sound nice, promoting ideas of longevity, stability, and eternity. But when you hear the term “Forever” applied to chemicals, you should be afraid. Perfluoroalkyl Substances, known as PFAS, are dangerous “forever chemicals” that now exist at unsafe levels in the tap water of more than 200 million Americans!
PFAS are synthetic chemicals used in plastics and coatings of common household items found in millions of homes across our country. Since the 1940s, PFAS have been an essential component in the manufacture of coatings that repeal water and oil. They are an integal element of nonstick pans, carpets, and clothes. Beauty products like shampoo and cosmetics often contain PFAS, in addition to hundreds of other products.
What’s the problem with that?
Perfluoroalkyl accumulates in our bodies and our environment. Right now, the blood of almost every person in America contains PFAS.
The frightening facts of PFAS exposure
Exposure to these perfluoroalkyl substances is downright dangerous, even though we have been ingesting these chemicals for decades.
PFAS are harmful to our health. Studies have shown that exposure to them results in decreased fertility. Increases in breast, renal, thyroid, liver, and testicular cancers are linked to PFAS exposure. Children demonstrate developmental delays. Teenagers suffer from decreased bone density. Women are impacted with higher risks of Type 2 diabetes. All these health problems exist because of “forever chemicals.”
Water safety and the EPA
How safe is your drinking water? Who decides what’s considered “safe”?
The EPA does. Sadly, the agency doesn’t evaluate chemical levels frequently, and some chemicals haven’t been evaluated for years. What doctors and scientists believe is “safe” is totally different than what the EPA declares “safe.”
At long last, the Environmental Protection Agency has acknowledged the real threat PFAS offer to the health and well-being of our population.
In previous years, the EPA declared 70 parts per trillion of PFAS in the water as safe. Based on frightening health data from 2022, the agency re-evaluated.
Water companies will now be required to monitor and test for the presence of PFAS in the water delivered to consumers. Anything above 4 parts per trillion will need to be remediated.
Anna Reade, an official with the Natural Resources Defense Council, explained why the EPA acknowledged the problem and changed its regulations:
“A growing body of scientific research shows that PFAS chemicals are more harmful to human health than previously thought, and at extremely low levels.”
Saving lives and reducing healthcare costs
The change the EPA has made to dramatically lower the level of PFAS in our drinking water is a “life-saving” move. Michael Regan, an EPA administrator believes that this is a move that will lower cancer rates, as well as the rate of heart attacks, strokes, and birth complications. The reduced number of illnesses will save $1.5 billion in healthcare costs.
Increase in water costs
Congress provided 9 billion dollars to communities to help with PFAS contamination. The bipartisan move included 1 billion dollars for states to do the initial testing and treatment if the water exceeded the 4-parts-per-trillion new standard.
The problem is that the EPA predicts that it will cost water utilities 1.5 billion dollars every year to comply.
Water utilities, however, think the cost will be much more, possibly two times that much.
The result?
Consumers will pay much higher prices for the safe, clean water we need.
The solution?
Water companies have the next three years to assess the PFAS level in the water they’re delivering to their customers. After that, they’ll have another two years to install equipment that will remove the PFAS from the water.
It will take at least five years for the new, safer regulations to take effect.
If you don’t want to drink PFAS in your water…
If you’re unwilling to consume lead, pesticides, and other chemicals that may be present in your water, don’t worry.
There’s a simple solution.
Install a Halo5 Whole House Water Filtration system. It takes out all the PFAS and produces perfectly clear, clean, safe, great-tasting water at every faucet in your home.
Now until June 30, 2024, get $450 off on the installation of a Halo5 Whole House Water Filtration system.
Drink in the goodness and let the worry of forever chemicals be forever removed!