NPR

EPA warns that even tiny amounts of chemicals found in drinking water pose risks

WASHINGTON — The Environmental Protection Agency is warning that two nonstick and stain-resistant compounds found in drinking water pose health risks even at levels so low they cannot currently be detected.

The two compounds, known as PFOA and PFOS, have been voluntarily phased out by U.S. manufacturers, but there are a limited number of ongoing uses and the chemicals remain in the environment because they do not degrade over time. The compounds are part of a larger cluster of that have been used in consumer products

You’re reading a preview, subscribe to read more.

More from NPR

NPR13 min readCrime & Violence
Groups That Register Voters Are Feeling Besieged By New State Laws
New Republican-backed laws in several states add large fines or criminal penalties for minor mistakes in voter registration work. As groups pull back, they're reaching fewer voters.
NPR4 min readInternational Relations
U.S. Military Says Aid Is Now Being Delivered Into Gaza Over A Floating Pier
The shipment is the first in an operation that U.S. military officials anticipate could scale up to 150 truckloads a day entering the Gaza Strip as Israel presses in on the southern city of Rafah.
NPR3 min read
Biden Focuses On Outreach To Black Americans; Billie Eilish Finds Herself
President Biden will cap off a week of outreach to Black Americans with commencement at Morehouse College. Billie Eilish tells Morning Edition how she found herself on her newest album.

Related