Notorious US Chemical Plant Polluting Water with Toxic PFAS, Lawsuit Claims

By: The Guardian

Jan 27, 2025

Communities exposed to drinking water contaminated with per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS)—a group of manufactured chemicals used in consumer products like food packaging and furniture—face up to a 33% higher incidence of certain cancers, according to research from the Keck School of Medicine of USC. Published in the Journal of Exposure Science & Environmental Epidemiology, the study is the first in the U.S. to link PFAS contamination in drinking water to cancer risk. Researchers found that counties with PFAS-contaminated water had significantly higher rates of cancers such as kidney, breast, and testicular cancers, among others, with PFAS contributing to an estimated 6,800 cancer cases annually based on U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) data.

Using large-scale datasets from the National Cancer Institute and the EPA, researchers conducted an ecological analysis, comparing cancer incidence between 2016 and 2021 with PFAS contamination levels. They controlled for factors like age, socioeconomic status, smoking rates, and urbanicity to ensure accuracy. Their findings revealed a higher prevalence of digestive, respiratory, endocrine, and mouth and throat cancers in counties exceeding recommended PFAS levels. The study also identified sex-based differences, with males more likely to develop urinary system, brain, and soft tissue cancers, and females at higher risk for thyroid and mouth cancers. The results highlight the urgent need for stricter PFAS regulations, as current measures starting in 2029 may not adequately protect public health, according to lead author Dr. Shiwen Li. Researchers now aim to pursue individual-level studies to confirm causation and explore biological mechanisms underlying the observed cancer risk.

For more information, see the original article and the published study.