PFAS is a group of unregulated compounds used in thousands of products, such as Teflon, firefighting foam and water-resistant clothing. There are a number of chemicals used in these products that have been found to cause cancer and other health problems. Groundwater contamination because of PFAS leakage from manufacturing plants has led to millions of people being sickened worldwide and many lawsuits in the United States alone. An example of this is the infamous Camp Lejune incident that occurred a few years ago where to this day, people still suffer from the toxic water contamination that happened there.
Introduction
In the United States, water is a crucial resource that people use on a daily basis.
As more and more people are living in urban areas, the amount of pollutants in our water is becoming a bigger problem. People who live near factories and other large sources of pollution have been filing pfas water contamination lawsuits against the companies responsible for environmental damage. This has led to a growing concern about clean water.
The Toxicology of PFAS
PFAS, or perfluoroalkyl substances, have been used in products such as food packaging, stain-resistant fabrics, and firefighting foam. They are also found in very small amounts in human blood and can cause health problems such as deformities, cancer, thyroid disease, and immune dysfunction.
The Rise of PFAS Cancer Lawsuits
Over the past few decades it has been found that PFAS can enter the environment through soil, water, and air. The chemicals have been linked with cancer, especially kidney and testicular cancer.
It has been found that PFAS can leach into groundwater and drinking water near the plant where it was manufactured. This has led to the rise of PFAS cancer lawsuits.
As cases of contaminated water become reported more often, there are more lawsuits filed against companies who may have polluted these bodies of water. One of these lawsuits is Camp Lejeune water contamination and as a result, over one million people who lived or worked at Camp Lejeune were exposed and put at a higher risk of health effects.
What Has the Government Done?
There are a number of ways that water can be contaminated. The most common way is through industrial activities and improper disposal. It is important to use proper disposal methods because once contamination occurs, it is not possible to undo it. Legal disputes are also one type of water contamination lawsuit. When a business does not comply or clean up its pollution, the government can step in and require them to do so within a certain amount of time or at all costs.
Conclusion
The pollution in Flint, Michigan was a result of more than just industrial waste. There were many possible causes for this contamination, but one of the main culprits was lead that had leached from corroded pipes. This is a widespread problem as lead damages a host of systems.