Pfas-laden pesticides and sewage sludge used as fertilizer move into crops and nearby water sources

Two bills filed by a state representative regulating the use of PFAS chemicals are now headed to the North Carolina Senate after passing in the House.

It seemed like a good deal when South Carolina farmers were given free waste to fertilize their fields. But then chemicals suspected of causing health issues were found in the sludge.

Beer has been a popular beverage for millennia. As water is a main component of beer and the brewing process, we surmised that the polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) presence and spatial variability in drinking water systems are a PFAS source in beers. This is the first study to adapt EPA Method 533 to measure PFAS in beer from various regions, brewery types, and water sources. Statistical analyses were conducted to correlate PFAS in state-reported drinking water, and beers were analyzed by brewing location. PFAS were detected in most beers, particularly from smaller scale breweries located near drinking water sources with known PFAS. Perfluorosulfonic acids, particularly PFOS, were frequently detected, with PFOA or PFOS above U.S. EPA’s Maximum Contaminant Limits in some beers. There was also a county–level correlation between the total PFAS, PFOA, and PFBS concentrations in drinking water and beers. Given that approximately 18% of U.S. breweries are located within zip codes with detectable PFAS in municipal drinking water, our findings, which link PFAS in beer to the brewery water source, are intended to help inform data-driven policies on PFAS in beverages for governmental agencies, provide insights for brewers and water utilities on treatment needs, and support informed decision-making for consumers.

N.C. Department of Environmental Quality Secretary Reid Wilson said addressing PFAS and other emerging compounds is a top priority during the N.C. Water Resources Research Institute's annual conferenc...

The Environmental Protection Agency is considering rolling back drinking water regulations on PFAS, commonly known as "forever chemicals," a move that has raise

The number of affected drinking water systems grows with each update as the EPA adds more test results. See if your water utility made the list.

NEW HANOVER COUNTY – The saga over Fire Station 13 continues to escalate as county officials are investigating threats they say have been posted on social media and put staff safety in danger.

"This is not about defending our paychecks. This is about protecting the health of our communities."

The N.C. Department of Environmental Quality is continuing Chemours’ search for groundwater contamination beyond the Lower Cape Fear.

High levels of toxic PFAS, or forever chemicals, were accumulating in sewage sludge used as fertilizer on U.S. farmland.

The Trump administration has withdrawn a proposed Environmental Protection Agency rule that aimed to limit industrial discharges of toxic "forever chemicals," a move that has sparked concern among Nor...