New Jersey has led efforts to keep PFAS, a class of toxic chemicals, out of our drinking water. Experts at an NJ Spotlight Roundtable discussed the emergence of substitutes that may be just as hazardous to human health.
PFASs are widespread in the environment and have been found more often in New Jersey's drinking water than in many other ros.
As states including New Jersey set strict health limits on some of the chemicals, our panelists examined questions including:
- What the chemicals have been used for, and how they got into the water source;
- Why they are seen as a threat to public health, even at low levels;
- What policies campaigners want to see from state and federal governments;
- What the military is doing to clean up water sources on and around its bases;
- How leading water systems and municipal providers are responding to rising public and governmental concern on the issue.