Rainwater is no longer safe to drink worldwide thanks to “forever chemicals.”
According to Euronews, man-made chemicals such as per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances, aka PFAS, are known as “forever chemicals” because they don’t break down in nature. They’re known to have non-stick and stain-repellent elements that can be found in lots of everyday items such as food packaging, electronics, cosmetics, and cookware. Thanks to the University of Stockholm, these items have been found in rainwater throughout the world.
Ian Cousins, the lead author of the study, stated:
“Based on the latest US guidelines for PFOA in drinking water, rainwater everywhere would be judged unsafe to drink,” he continues to say. “Although in the industrial world we don’t often drink rainwater, many people around the world expect it to be safe to drink, and it supplies many of our drinking water sources.”
The study also noted that the safe guideline levels for forever chemicals have drastically dropped in the last two decades–despite research revealing how toxic they are.
The report goes on to explain that you shouldn’t drink rainwater because it could lead to the following:
- Fertility problems
- Increased risk of cancer
- Developmental decays in children
Due to this information, scientists are calling for tighter restrictions on PFAS, as well as for the companies most notably using these chemicals to pay for the “vast amounts that it will cost to reduce PFAS in drinking water to levels that are safe.”
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