âForever chemicalsâ pervade drinking water sources on Cape Cod, study finds The compounds have been linked to cancer, low infant birth weights, and suppression of the immune system
By David Abel Globe Staff,Updated March 8, 2021, 12:06 p.m.
Email to a Friend
Andrew Gottlieb, the executive director of the Association to Preserve Cape Cod, steered his boat on Mashpee Wakeby Pond, a watershed affected by chemical pollutants.Lane Turner/Globe Staff
The primary source of drinking water for tens of thousands of people on Cape Cod has elevated levels of toxic chemicals, according to a new study.
Scientists at Harvard University found that several watersheds on the upper Cape around Mashpee had 40 times more PFAS â known as âforever chemicalsâ because they never fully degrade â than new state rules allow. The compounds, which a growing body of research has found can be harmful in minute amounts, have been linked to cancer, low infant birth weights, and su
Regional plan to cut emissions from road vehicles on track in RI providencejournal.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from providencejournal.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
HYANNIS – A study released Friday by Harvard University researchers found that conventional testing for per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) found just a fraction of what was actually present in water tested at sampling sites in the Childs River and Quashnet River watersheds in Mashpee, and the Mill Creek watershed in Hyannis.
But the finding no one expected was an additional large amount of PFAS in these three watersheds that had previously gone undetected and was not from firefighting foams used nearby.
“The biggest point sources (for PFAS) were the firefighting foams, but that it only explained half the total amount was very surprising to us,” said Bridger Ruyle, a Ph.D. student in environmental science and engineering at Harvard University and the lead author of the paper, which was published in the journal “Environmental Science & Technology.”
The Martha s Vineyard Times
Toxicology tests offer âmore questions than answersâ
Synthetic field tests show negligible amounts of heavy metals and semi volatile compounds; emergent nature of PFAS adds to uncertainty.
The Marthaâs Vineyard Commission hears from toxicologists and environmental consultants during the third public hearing on the MVRHS proposed athletic field project. Brian Massa of Horsley Witten is shown in the picture.
The Marthaâs Vineyard Commission Thursday night heard from various experts on the toxicology reports compiled by two environmental consulting firms â Tetra Tech and Horsley Witten.Â
At the third development of regional impact (DRI) public hearing for the proposed Marthaâs Vineyard Regional High School athletic field project, independent consultants from Tetra Tech and Horsley Witten went over the testing process, and dove into how the results were analyzed.
Published: Friday, March 5, 2021
Pesticide collage. Credits: Claudine Hellmuth/E&E News (illustration); Freepik (mosquito); EPA (logo and text) ; Clarke Mosquito Control Products Inc. (Anvil bottle)
New testing from an environmental watchdog group shows PFAS are present in multiple pesticides. Claudine Hellmuth/E&E News (illustration); Freepik (mosquito); EPA (logo and text) ; Clarke Mosquito Control Products Inc. (Anvil bottle)
This story was updated March 8. Forever chemicals are present in multiple common pesticides, according to new testing conducted by an environmental watchdog group and released exclusively to E&E News.
The findings, described as deeply concerning, raise a host of public health concerns including implications for food safety and could trigger pressure on EPA to address the issue. The agency has faced repeated scrutiny over pesticides in the past, with the latest findings already adding fuel to the fire.