forever chemicals– tag –

Removing PFAS from drinking water does not destroy it. The contamination moves into spent activated carbon, resins, foam, or concentrated wastewater—creating new challenges involving destruction, disposal, monitoring, and long-term costs.

PFAS has been detected in groundwater, but identifying its source is rarely straightforward. Complex underground flows, multiple release points, and missing historical records make the chain of responsibility difficult to reconstruct.

PFAS compounds are being detected in rivers and groundwater across Japan. Known as “forever chemicals,” they cross administrative boundaries and remain in the environment for decades. What does this invisible contamination mean for drinking water, public health, and society’s responsibility for past industrial activity?