PFAS chemicals

A new study claims hundreds of millions of dollars are needed to clean up PFAS-contaminated water in the east metro, according to a Minnesota Pollution Control Agency report. The plan includes pumping and treating contaminated water for distribution to cities and an aquifer, while other news includes Google’s data center proposal and an election judge’s sentencing.

Toxic PFAS chemicals are widespread in the Delaware River and its fish, according to a Delaware River Basin Commission report. The study shows rising PFAS concentrations outpacing water volume, indicating ongoing discharges from industrial and wastewater sources. A new interactive tool maps PFAS hotspots in the basin.

The manufacturer of a firefighting foam that contaminated the water supply in northeastern Wisconsin with PFAS chemicals for decades agreed to a $10 million settlement with the state, as announced by the governor and attorney general.

Tyco, a manufacturer of firefighting foam, has agreed to a $10 million settlement with Wisconsin after contaminating the water supply in northeast Wisconsin with PFAS chemicals for decades.

Protests in India have erupted over the production of cancer-linked PFAS chemicals after an Italian factory, shut down in 2018 for environmental contamination, was acquired by Indian company Laxmi Organic Industries. The Guardian revealed the former Miteni plant in Vicenza, Italy, was rebuilt and now raises concerns due to lax PFAS regulations in India.

Researchers from UC Davis Health discovered PFAS chemicals in penguin populations in remote Patagonia, highlighting environmental contamination in the region. The study underscores the presence of toxic substances in wildlife despite the area's isolation.