PFAS contamination of water has been found to have a serious impact on the health of newborn babies.

What's happening?

PFAS — per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances — are known as "forever chemicals" and are used in a whole host of everyday items, despite the health issues they have been found to cause. They are found in all sorts of goods, from food packaging to clothing, cosmetics, pesticides, and even firefighting foam, so these chemicals are hard to escape.

New research from the University of Arizona has found a troubling link between drinking water contaminated with PFAS and infant mortality, the Guardian reported.

The study found that infant mortality increased by 191% for pregnant people drinking water near a PFAS-contaminated site. Preterm birth rates increased by 20%, and low-weight births jumped by 43%.

Derek Lemoine, economics professor at the University of Arizona and co-author of the study, commented on the startling findings to the Guardian. "I don't know if we expected to find effects this big and this detectable … But it was there in the data."

Why is PFAS contamination concerning?

According to the United States Environmental Protection Agency, PFAS exposure has been linked to a weakened immune system, an increased risk of some cancers, decreased fertility, and developmental delays in children.

This research by the University of Arizona is yet another piece of evidence that these chemicals are toxic and harming people and the planet.

As long as the production of goods containing PFAS continues, they will continue to risk lives.

How can you avoid PFAS exposure?

Luckily, some regulations around forever chemicals are being tightened in the U.K. and the EU. In the U.S., however, the Trump administration plans to reverse existing bans on PFAS.

To decrease your risk of PFAS contamination, eliminating plastic from your kitchen is a great place to start. Using wooden, metal, or glass utensils and storage containers reduces the chance of harmful chemicals leaching into your food. Nonstick pans contain forever chemicals, so switching to stainless steel or ceramic cookware is recommended.

A water filter can reduce the amount of PFAS contaminants in your water, especially if you live in an area where goods containing forever chemicals are produced.

Do you worry about having toxic forever chemicals in your home? Majorly 😥 Sometimes 😟 Not really 😐 I don't know enough about them 🤷 Click your choice to see results and speak your mind.

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