clean-water-pfas

ACT NOW: Forever Chemicals & Clean Drinking Water

From our friends at Coastal Conservation League…

We believe every South Carolinian deserves safe, clean drinking water. For years, harmful “forever chemicals” have gone unregulated. They have been used to manufacture products like nonstick cookware, released into the environment, and made their way into our drinking water sources. Now we’re left to deal with the aftermath. We need your help to protect our families and communities from toxic, harmful forever chemicals.

Please reach out to your state Senators and tell them we need to act now to ensure every South Carolinian has access to clean, safe, drinking water.

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, known as PFAS, belong to a group of over 4,000 man-made, toxic, unregulated chemical contaminants that were used globally in manufacturing processes since the 1950’s. These substances are used for consumer products because they can repel oil, water, and grease. However, that hardiness comes at a price. PFAS compounds are also known as “forever chemicals” because they do not break down over time and build up—both in the environment and our bodies.

Peer-reviewed scientific studies have shown that forever chemicals can have some serious health impacts. They have been linked to cancer, developmental impacts in children, reproductive and immune system harm, liver damage, and other diseases. They have also been found to reduce the effectiveness of vaccines.

According to the National Institutes of Health, one of the ways that people are most likely to be exposed is by consuming water or food that has been contaminated with forever chemicals. Initial testing by the S.C. Department of Health and Environmental Control revealed widespread contamination in almost every water system tested.

Federal efforts to clean up our water and safeguard our communities from forever chemicals could take years. Here in South Carolina, a joint resolution, Senate Bill 219, seeks to provide DHEC with some oversight to address known contamination is slowly progressing.

The health of our children and families don’t have the time to wait. Please reach out to your state Senators and let them know you support actions to address forever chemicals now.

I’ll be in touch with updates but in the meantime please don’t hesitate to reply to this email or reach out to me at rileye@scccl.org. Thank you for your support protecting South Carolina communities!

Best,

Riley

Riley Egger
Land, Water, & Wildlife Project Manager
Coastal Conservation League


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