The water which over 6 million Americans are regularly drinking might increase their risk in developing different types of cancer. This is because the water is high in fluorinated chemicals.
These chemicals are linked to kidney and testicular cancer, thyroid disease, decreased sperm quality, high cholesterol, decreased immune function in children, and other serious health issues.
Firefighting Foam, Manufacturing Facilities, Airports and Everyday Items Contaminate Waters
All the fluorinated chemicals come from different environments: firefighting foam, furniture, carpets, clothing, cosmetics, food packaging and so on. They are also getting spread from manufacturing businesses and reach the air, water and food. From there it gets back to us and negatively impact our health.
The drinking water has seen an increase in these chemicals, and about a quarter of the US population is drinking contaminated water.
The journal Environmental Health has published a letter signed by 39 scientists and physicians. It was sent to the House and Senate to raise awareness of the serious problem the regions impacted with high contaminated water are facing. The letter was also sent to the Pentagon and the Federal Aviation Administration, as they use firefighting foams at their bases and airports and are a major source of contamination.
The government requested an urgent and more detailed report that would also contain blood testing, health studies and medical monitoring.
A 5-7 Year Study Will Be Conducted to Better Assess The Impact of Highly Fluorinated Waters
Fortunately, the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) was provided $7 million to begin a health study that will take 5-7 years to record the effects of these chemicals on the communities. This is the first study conducted nationwide on human health to analyze the impact of exposure to highly contaminated waters.
The NDAA has also asked for $72 million to be sent to the Air Force and the Navy to clean all impacted areas and prevent future contamination.
Other measures include changing the firefighting foams with something else and discontinue the old ones within 6 months. The problem is that the newest variety of foam is still highly fluorinated. There is a safer kind of foam that is used on oil drilling platforms, and it doesn’t contain fluorine, but first they must be allowed to be used. This is where the Milspec rule from the Defense Department has to be updated.
Only then the population will be able to drink healthier water and prevent serious illnesses.
