02/06/2023
PFAS, commonly known as ‘forever chemicals’, encompass about 12,000 compounds that make products resistant to water, stains and heat. These chemicals work great for their intended use, however they are unable to break down naturally, contaminating the soil and water in which they leech into.
A new study put on by the Environmental Working Group found that wild caught, freshwater fish in US lakes and rivers are severely contaminated with these PFAS forever chemicals. So contaminated in fact, that eating one serving of US freshwater fish is equivalent to drinking highly contaminated water every day for a month.
PFAS chemicals have been linked to cancer, liver and kidney disease, fetal complications and other serious health issues. Currently, there is no clear solution for eradicating the chemicals out of natural resources, but because this study indicates nationwide contamination of freshwater fish, experts are advising to not eat what you catch.
https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2023/jan/18/freshwater-fish-contaminated-forever-chemicals #:~:text=Wild%20caught%2C%20freshwater%20fish%20in,analysis%20of%20federal%20data%20suggests.