PFAS in Drugs Threaten Streams and Drinking Water for Millions

PFAS chemicals from pharmaceuticals and other sources contaminate the drinking water supply of up to 23 million people as the climate warms, with even more of the substances polluting streams through wastewater effluent, according to New York University research published Monday.

Wastewater treatment plants can increase the concentration of some PFAS, mainly perfluoroalkyl acids (PFAA), that are discharged into rivers and streams, according to the study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

Pharmaceutical waste can travel downstream and re-enter drinking water supplies, said ...