The Environmental Protection Agency has proposed a new plan to lower the cap on the amount of harmful "forever chemicals" allowed in drinking water across the country.
The chemicals, introduced to consumers in the 1940s, were used in nonstick pans, firefighting foam, food packaging and a number of other everyday products. Known as PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances), the chemicals have been linked to a number of serious health risks including for various cancers, reproductive issues, and low birth weight.
A bombshell class action suit filed in 2001 against chemical manufacturing company DuPont revealed that the company knew PFAS were hazardous and worked to conceal the fact from its own workers, local communities, and environmental officials.
"The science is clear that long-term exposure to PFAS is linked to significant health risks," Radhika Fox, assistant EPA administrator for water, told the Associated Press.
PFAS used to create teflon and non-stick appliances have since been taken off the market, but after decades of use and production, companies have utilized new PFAS that are no safer, according to the advocacy organization Environmental Working Group. The org states that people continue to be exposed to the harmful chemicals through avenues other than water consumption, including from stain-resistant furniture and carpets, packaging for baked goods and clothes that are labeled stain or water-repellent.
A 29-year-old Cincinnati woman was awakened by her Apple Watch, which alerted her about an elevated heart rate, prompting her to head to a doctor who notified her of a blood clot.
Cheddar News checks in with a coast-to-coast forecast of the weather.
A quarantine is in place for a section of Broward county in Florida due to a rise in African land snails, which are harmful to agriculture and can eat their way through about 500 plant species.
Climate change is on trial in Montana. In a landmark case, 16 young people are suing the state over effects like smoke, heat, and drought. It's just the first in a series of cases intended to pressure lawmakers into taking action on the environment. Here with more is Cheddar News Senior Reporter Chloe Aiello.
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Members of the United Nations adopted the first-ever treaty to protect marine life in the high seas on Monday, with the U.N.'s chief hailing the historic agreement as giving the ocean “a fighting chance.”
A search is underway for a deep-sea vessel that went missing with five people aboard after it dived toward the deteriorating wreck site of the Titanic ocean liner. What we know so far.
U.S. Hit With Record Breaking Heat Waves
It's only June and already scientists are saying it could be the hottest year on record, as the warming effects of El Niño will continue to strengthen into the fall and winter. Here with more is Cheddar News Senior Reporter Chloe Aiello.
