London's tap water has been found to contain harmful "forever" chemicals, raising significant health concerns.
Joe Middleton reports for The Independent.
In short:
- Recent tests in London reveal tap water contamination with PFOA and PFOS, chemicals linked to serious health issues.
- The detected levels of these chemicals in Harrow, Heathrow, and Battersea exceed safety thresholds by a significant margin.
- Experts call for stricter regulations and improved filtration to protect public health from these persistent pollutants.
Key quote:
“Discovering PFAS-related chemicals in London‘s drinking water at such high levels raises serious health concerns that require immediate attention as they exceed thresholds that consumer protection bodies in the EU and US deem harmful to human health.”
— Dr. Ahmed Fawzy, chief research scientist at Bluewater
Why this matters:
The presence of these contaminants in London's water supply raises health concerns, as prolonged exposure to PFOA and PFOS has been linked to several adverse health effects. Studies suggest that exposure can lead to increased cholesterol levels, changes in liver enzymes, reduced immune responses, and increased risk of certain cancers.
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