LISTEN: Why is it taking so long for Pennsylvania to regulate toxic chemicals in drinking water?
The chemicals, known as PFAS, are linked to health effects including cancer, thyroid disease, high cholesterol, pregnancy-induced hypertension, asthma, and ulcerative colitis.
PITTSBURGH—Thousands of Pennsylvanians are being exposed to toxic chemicals in their drinking water. The state has been working to regulate the chemicals since 2017, but officials say those regulations are at least two more years away.
EHN reporter Kristina Marusic discussed her recent reporting reporting on PFAS (perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances) with The Allegheny Front's Kara Holsopple.
PFAS are a class of more than 5,000 individual chemicals with similar properties. They don't readily break down once they're in the environment, so they can accumulate in animal and human tissues, earning them the nickname "forever chemicals."
Marusic's reporting sheds light on water contamination in the Pittsburgh region and investigates why it's taking so long to regulate PFAS in drinking water. Listen below.
