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GAO-23-106970 1 (2023-09-27)

handle is hein.gao/gaopfe0001 and id is 1 raw text is: The Big Picture The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found that most people in the U.S. have been exposed to a potentially harmful class of synthetic chemicals called per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances-PFAS, for short. These chemicals have characteristics that make them useful in products such as nonstick cookware, waterproof clothing, and firefighting foams used to extinguish aircraft fires quickly and prevent them from reigniting. Exposure to certain levels of PFAS can cause negative health effects, including cancer. PFAS can find their way into the air, soil, and water through numerous pathways. Moreover, PFAS can persist in the environment for decades or longer. In light of the risks that PFAS pose, Congress has taken a number of actions to address PFAS contamination. These include providing funding for grants to water systems to address emerging contaminants, such as PFAS, in drinking water and prohibiting the Department of Defense (DOD) from buying certain products that contain specific PFAS. However, much about these chemicals remains unknown, including the extent of PFAS contamination across the U.S. and how to safely dispose of or destroy materials containing PFAS-such as the waste byproducts generated when PFAS are removed from drinking water. What GAO's Work Shows Our work has identified actions that could be taken to better detect PFAS occurrence in drinking water, limit human exposure to PFAS, and treat PFAS contamination. Examples of How Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) Enter the Environment Industrial processes can discharge PFAS- containing wastewater or emit PFAS S into the air. Effluent discharged from plants can contain PFAS. Biosolids used as fertilizer can contain PFAS and contaminate soil and water. PFAS-containing firefighting foams I can contaminate soil and water. PFAS-containing ---- products (e.g., food packaging) disposed of without proper controls can contaminate soil and water. Source: GAO. I GAO-23-106970 1. Detecting PFAS Occurrence in Water More than 4,000 types of PFAS exist, yet much remains unknown about PFAS in drinking water. In Septemer 2022, we found that at least 18 percent of 5,300 water systems in six states (Illinois, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, Ohio, and Vermont) had concentrations of two PFAS above GAO-23-106970 PFAS

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