#EPAFail

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BjoernAusGENachdem ich mich mal ein bisschen zum Thema elektronische Patientenakte eingelesen habe, haben meine Frau und ich für uns beide und unsere Kinder das Opt-Out eingereicht. Zu groß sind die Risiken, zu klein der Benefit dieser löchrigen Dropbox für PDF Dateien. <a href="https://social.sengotta.net/tags/epa" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#epa</a> <a href="https://social.sengotta.net/tags/epa_neindanke" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#epa_neindanke</a> <a href="https://social.sengotta.net/tags/epafail" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#epafail</a> <a href="https://social.sengotta.net/tags/epaablehnen" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#epaablehnen</a> <a href="https://social.sengotta.net/tags/optout" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#optout</a>

derN<a href="https://chaos.social/@foosel" class="u-url mention" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">@foosel</a> die Mobil Krankenkasse bietet sogar eine Hotline für den Widerspruch: 0403002877<a href="https://social.tchncs.de/tags/epa_neindanke" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#epa_neindanke</a> <a href="https://social.tchncs.de/tags/stopp_epa" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#stopp_epa</a> <a href="https://social.tchncs.de/tags/epaablehnen" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#epaablehnen</a> <a href="https://social.tchncs.de/tags/epafail" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#epafail</a>

DoomsdaysCWWhile on the subject of <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/LateStageCapitalism" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#LateStageCapitalism</a>... Unfortunately, this doesn't surprise me. If <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/Glyphosate" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#Glyphosate</a> can cause gut inflammation [and bugs' stomachs to explode], you can count on it causing brain inflammation! Oh, and yeah -- deport those migrant farm workers and start doing their jobs, MAGAts. Good luck with that!Chemical found in breakfast foods [and lots of other foods] linked to <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/BrainDamage" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#BrainDamage</a> in new study December 5, 2024 Story by Maiya Focht Health Reporter"A <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/pesticide" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#pesticide</a> that has been found in breakfast cereals, oats and orange juice may be able to cause dementia symptoms in weeks. "Weed-killer glyphosate, which is the active ingredient in RoundUp, has long been linked to cancers and nerve damage. But much of the earlier research has focused on looking at people that interact with it every day like farm workers."The new study, performed on mice, suggests even small amounts of exposure can have long-lasting effects."Experts found rodents who were given for about three months saw Alzheimer's-like changes to their brains which persisted for months."Upon dissecting the brains, the researchers saw the chemical itself had gotten into the delicate tissue of the brain, where it likely caused inflammation, which caused nerves and brain tissue to decay, leading to the changes they observed after six months."Patrick Pirrotte, a study author and director at City of Hope said: 'These findings highlight that many chemicals we regularly encounter, previously considered safe, may pose potential health risks. "Foods that were found to contain glyphosate include <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/QuakerOatmeal" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#QuakerOatmeal</a>, <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/CheezIt" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#CheezIt</a> and <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/Tropicana" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#Tropicana</a> orange juice, according to a separate analysis by Sokolove law, a personal injury and illness law firm."Read more: <a href="https://www.msn.com/en-us/health/other/chemical-found-in-breakfast-foods-linked-to-brain-damage-in-new-study/ar-AA1viAby?rc=1&ocid=winp1taskbar&cvid=172219ac31634602abedf758f9dfe01e&ei=12" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" translate="no" target="_blank">https://www.msn.com/en-us/health/other/chemical-found-in-breakfast-foods-linked-to-brain-damage-in-new-study/ar-AA1viAby?rc=1&ocid=winp1taskbar&cvid=172219ac31634602abedf758f9dfe01e&ei=12</a> <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/FDAFail" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#FDAFail</a> <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/EPAFail" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#EPAFail</a> <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/BanGlyphosates" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#BanGlyphosates</a> <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/RoundupKills" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#RoundupKills</a> <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/Bayer" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#Bayer</a> <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/Monsanto" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#Monsanto</a> <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/Dementia" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#Dementia</a> <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/WaterIsLife" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#WaterIsLife</a> <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/SoilPollution" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#SoilPollution</a> <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/WaterPollution" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#WaterPollution</a>

DoomsdaysCWGood ol' <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/EPA" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#EPA</a> -- working hard to keep us from knowing what's going on. <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/RadNet" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#RadNet</a> data? It's our secret. <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/Radiation" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#Radiation</a> levels too high? Not anymore! We changed the standard so polluters can go on polluting! <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/EPAFail" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#EPAFail</a> <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/NRC" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#NRC</a> <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/RadiationStandards" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#RadiationStandards</a> <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/Consume" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#Consume</a> <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/RadiationLevels" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#RadiationLevels</a>

DoomsdaysCWSo, before the <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/EPA" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#EPA</a> stopped posting Beta radiation data, I would compare their readings to the ones from this website, which monitors radiation using private stations -- and it always correlated. I'm going back to keeping an eye on this, and also seeing if things have changed with <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/RadNet" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#RadNet</a>. I used to be able to download raw Beta data (and I work with data, so I know how to "read" it). <a href="http://www.netc.com" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" translate="no" target="_blank">http://www.netc.com</a> <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/NRC" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#NRC</a> <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/EPAFail" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#EPAFail</a> <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/Radiation" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#Radiation</a>

DoomsdaysCWBy using Beta radiation data (and higher energy Gamma data), I was able to track trouble at <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/WIPP" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#WIPP</a> before it was released publicly (and yes, some rads did get loose), and also <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/NorthKorean" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#NorthKorean</a> nuclear tests (again, before it was released to the public). And then <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/RadNet" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#RadNet</a> beta tracking went away -- allegedly because the air monitors were faulty? Ummm.... Sure they were. <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/EPAFail" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#EPAFail</a> <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/NRC" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#NRC</a>

DoomsdaysCW<a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/America" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#America</a>'s Notorious '<a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/CancerAlley" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#CancerAlley</a>' Is Even More <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/Toxic" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#Toxic</a> Than We ThoughtA new study finds levels of the <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/carcinogen" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#carcinogen</a> ethylene oxide that are nine times higher than those estimated by the <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/EPA" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#EPA</a>’s models.By Naveena Sadasivam, Grist June 11, 2024"Since the 1980s, the 85-mile stretch of the <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/MississippiRiver" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#MississippiRiver</a> that connects <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/NewOrleans" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#NewOrleans</a> and <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/BatonRouge" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#BatonRouge</a>, <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/Louisiana" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#Louisiana</a>, has been known as “Cancer Alley.” The name stems from the fact that the area’s residents have a 95% greater chance of developing cancer than the average American. A big reason for this is the concentration of industrial facilities along the corridor — particularly <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/petrochemical" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#petrochemical</a> manufacturing plants, many of which emit ethylene oxide, an extremely potent toxin that is considered a carcinogen by the Environmental Protection Agency and has been linked to breast and lung cancers."Read more: <a href="https://gizmodo.com/americas-notorious-cancer-alley-is-even-more-toxic-than-1851532462?utm_source=pocket-newtab-en-us" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" translate="no" target="_blank">https://gizmodo.com/americas-notorious-cancer-alley-is-even-more-toxic-than-1851532462?utm_source=pocket-newtab-en-us</a> <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/Pollution" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#Pollution</a> <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/EPAFail" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#EPAFail</a> <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/BigOilAndGas" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#BigOilAndGas</a> <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/Oiligarchy" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#Oiligarchy</a> <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/Corporatocracy" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#Corporatocracy</a> <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/BigOil" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#BigOil</a> <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/ExxonKnew" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#ExxonKnew</a> <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/BigOilKnew" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#BigOilKnew</a>

DoomsdaysCW"'I think the companies see this as a new way over a 10- or 20-year period to gradually lobby' the EPA 'to allow higher levels of pesticides in food,' said Charles Benbrook, an agricultural economist who has monitored pesticide regulation for decades. 'If they can convince regulators to not pay attention to animal studies, they have a very good chance of raising the allowable exposure levels.'" <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/EPA" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#EPA</a> <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/EPAFail" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#EPAFail</a> <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/ToxicPesticides" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#ToxicPesticides</a>

DoomsdaysCW10 Times as Much of This <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/Toxic" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#Toxic</a> <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/Pesticide" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#Pesticide</a> Could End Up on Your <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/Tomatoes" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#Tomatoes</a> and <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/Celery" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#Celery</a> Under a New <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/EPA" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#EPA</a> ProposalAgainst the guidance of scientific advisory panels, the EPA is relying on industry-backed tests to relax regulations on <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/acephate" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#acephate</a>, which has been linked to <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/neurodevelopmental" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#neurodevelopmental</a> disorders. “It’s exactly what we recommended against,” one panelist said. <a href="https://www.propublica.org/article/epa-acephate-pesticide-adhd-autism-regulations?utm_source=pocket-newtab-en-us" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" translate="no" target="_blank">https://www.propublica.org/article/epa-acephate-pesticide-adhd-autism-regulations?utm_source=pocket-newtab-en-us</a> <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/EPAFail" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#EPAFail</a> <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/ToxicPesticides" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#ToxicPesticides</a> <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/BrainDevelopment" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#BrainDevelopment</a> <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/FoodSafety" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#FoodSafety</a>

DoomsdaysCWI wrote about farms like this one when I did a story about <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/UnityMaine" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#UnityMaine</a>, the home of the <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/CommonGroundFair" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#CommonGroundFair</a> -- a celebration of <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/OrganicFarming" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#OrganicFarming</a> in <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/Maine" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#Maine</a>. It makes me so sad to see them having to go out of business because <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/MaineDEP" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#MaineDEP</a> and <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/EPAFail" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#EPAFail</a> led to <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/toxic" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#toxic</a> <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/sludge" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#sludge</a> being marketed as "fertilizer".‘I don’t know how we’ll survive’: the <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/farmers" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#farmers</a> facing ruin in <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/Maine" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#Maine</a>’s ‘forever chemicals’ crisisMaine faces a crisis from <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/PFAS" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#PFAS</a>-contaminated produce, which is causing farms to close and farmers to face the loss of their livelihoodsby Tom Perkins, 22 Mar 2022 06.05 EDT"Songbird Farm’s 17 acres (7 hectares) hold sandy loam fields, three greenhouses and cutover woods that comprise an idyllic setting near Maine’s central coast. The small organic operation carved out a niche growing heirloom grains, tomatoes, sweet garlic, cantaloupe and other products that were sold to organic food stores or as part of a community-supported agriculture program, where people pay to receive boxes of locally grown produce.Farmers Johanna Davis and Adam Nordell bought Songbird in 2014. By 2021 the young family with their three-year-old son were hitting their stride, Nordell said."But disaster struck in December. The couple learned the farm’s previous owner had decades earlier used PFAS-tainted sewage sludge, or '<a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/biosolids" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#biosolids</a>', as fertilizer on Songbird’s fields. Testing revealed their soil, drinking <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/water" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#water</a>, irrigation water, <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/crops" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#crops</a>, chickens and <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/blood" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#blood</a> were <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/contaminated" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#contaminated</a> with high levels of the <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/ToxicChemicals" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#ToxicChemicals</a>."The couple quickly recalled products, alerted customers, suspended their operation and have been left deeply fearful for their financial and physical wellbeing."'This has flipped everything about our lives on its head,' Nordell said. 'We haven’t done a blood test on our kid yet and that’s the most terrifying part. It’s fucking devastating.'"Read more: <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2022/mar/22/i-dont-know-how-well-survive-the-farmers-facing-ruin-in-americas-forever-chemicals-crisis" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" translate="no" target="_blank">https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2022/mar/22/i-dont-know-how-well-survive-the-farmers-facing-ruin-in-americas-forever-chemicals-crisis</a><a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/EPA" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#EPA</a> <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/InformedConsent" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#InformedConsent</a> <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/PFOS" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#PFOS</a> <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/WaterIsLife" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#WaterIsLife</a> <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/ToxicWaste" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#ToxicWaste</a> <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/FoodProduction" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#FoodProduction</a>

DoomsdaysCW<a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/Chemical" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#Chemical</a> companies’ <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/PFAS" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#PFAS</a> payouts are huge – but the problem is even bigger<a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/3M" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#3M</a>, <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/DuPont" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#DuPont</a>, <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/Chemours" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#Chemours</a> and <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/Corteva" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#Corteva</a> have agreed settlement in the billions for <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/polluting" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#polluting</a> drinking <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/water" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#water</a> with ‘forever chemicals’by Tom Perkins, Aug 3, 2023"“When the chemical giant 3M agreed in early June to pay up to $12.5bn to settle a lawsuit over PFAS contamination in water systems across the nation, it was hailed by attorneys as 'the largest drinking water settlement in American history', and viewed as a significant win for the public in the battle against toxic 'forever chemicals'.“A second June settlement with the PFAS manufacturers DuPont, Chemours and Corteva tallied a hefty $1.1bn. But while the sums are impressive on their face, they represent just a fraction of the estimated $400bn some estimate will be needed to clean and protect the nation’s drinking water. Orange county, California, alone put the cost of cleaning its system at $1bn.“‘While over a billion dollars is real money, it is a virtual drop in the bucket of potential utility costs to monitor, remove and dispose of these contaminants in accordance with anticipated federal regulations,' the American Municipal Water Association trade group said in a statement.“Moreover, the two settlements include just over 6,000 water systems nationwide. Utilities that were not part of the suits but have PFAS in their systems can claim some of the settlement money, or they can sue the chemical manufacturers on their own.“That means the settlements only represent the first wave of utility lawsuits to hit <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/ChemicalManufacturers" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#ChemicalManufacturers</a>, legal observers say. Because PFAS are so widely used and the scale of their harm is so great, chemical makers will get hit from a range of legal angles, and some suspect the industry’s final bill could exceed the $200bn paid by <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/BigTobacco" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#BigTobacco</a> in the 1990s.“The number will be 'very large', said Kevin McKie, an attorney with the Environmental Litigation Group who represented a water management company in the 3M case. Though the 3M settlement does not cover all the nation’s costs, it is a strong start, he added.“‘A good settlement is one where both sides walk away a bit frustrated’ is the old saying,' McKie said. 'Of course I would have liked a bit more money but I do believe they got as much as they could at this time, and there’s a lot more to go.'“PFAS are a class of about 15,000 compounds used to make products across dozens of industries resistant to water, stains and heat. They are called 'forever chemicals' because they do not naturally break down, and are linked to <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/cancer" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#cancer</a>, <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/KidneyDisease" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#KidneyDisease</a>, <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/liver" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#liver</a> conditions, <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/immune" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#immune</a> disorders, <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/BirthDefects" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#BirthDefects</a> and other health problems.“The chemicals are thought to be contaminating drinking water for over 200 million Americans. Tens of thousands of contaminated <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/PrivateWells" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#PrivateWells</a> are not included in the settlement. The chemicals are also widely used in thousands of consumer products from <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/DentalFloss" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#DentalFloss</a> to <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/cookware" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#cookware</a> to <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/clothing" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#clothing</a>, and have been found to <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/contaminate" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#contaminate</a> <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/food" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#food</a>, <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/soil" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#soil</a> and <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/air" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#air</a>.“PFAS constantly cycle and accumulate throughout the environment, and removing them from water is costly. The highly mobile chemicals can slip through most utilities’ filtration systems. Granular activated carbon and reverse osmosis are considered the best options.“Leaders in Stuart, Florida, which was the bellwether case in the 3M settlement, chose to take what they could get without further litigation. Bellwethers are cases that represent all the other plaintiffs in a multi-district lawsuit. Stuart estimated damages at up to $120m, and the city acknowledged the settlement would fall short.“‘I don’t think we’ll ever get close to that much net to the city, so I think there is no making us whole,' Stuart’s city manager told the New York Times.“Among those utilities going at it alone is the Cape Fear Public Utility Authority (CFPUA) near Wilmington, North Carolina, which sits on the <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/CapeFear" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#CapeFear</a> River about 75 miles downstream from a Chemours PFAS manufacturing plant. It cost the utility about $46m to develop a granular activated carbon system to remove PFAS, and officials estimate an additional $5m in annual operational costs.“The utility declined to comment, citing ongoing litigation, but in a late June op-ed, the CFPUA director Kenneth Waldrop explained the motivation for not joining the settlements: 'The information currently available suggests that the proposed settlement, when divided among thousands of other utilities with similar needs, would be insufficient to meet the needs of our community.'“The utility has a 'strong case' against Chemours which has the reserves to cover the full cost, Waldrop added. There is generally support for that approach among Wilmington-area residents, said Emily Donovan, a public health advocate who lives in the region.“‘This is not our fault, but it has been made our problem, and the community mostly understands what’s going on,' she said.“The settlements also drew unlikely opponents in 22 state attorneys general who urged the judge to reject the 3M settlement because it 'does not adequately account for the pernicious damage that 3M has done in so many of our communities', said the California attorney general, Rob Bonta.“Beyond water utility settlements, chemical makers face personal injury suits. Most US states will also probably sue over <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/contamination" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#contamination</a> of <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/lakes" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#lakes</a>, <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/rivers" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#rivers</a> and other <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/NaturalResources" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#NaturalResources</a> <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/Minnesota" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#Minnesota</a> alone found eliminating PFAS contamination from its wastewater could run to $28bn.“Local water systems that are not made whole will need help from the federal government, which 'basically abandoned public water infrastructure a long time ago', said Oday Salim, director of the Environmental Law and Sustainability Clinic at the University of Michigan.“‘Any amount of money that gets shifted to the victims is helpful,' he added. “The government could implement an excise tax on PFAS to help cover costs, McKie said, and he noted the chemical manufacturers are taking a significant hit. By some estimates, 3M’s PFAS liabilities may soar to as much as $30bn as claims roll in. “‘That’s a pretty big chunk of the total size of their corporation,' McKie said."<a href="https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2023/aug/03/chemical-companies-pfas-payouts-forever-chemicals" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" translate="no" target="_blank">https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2023/aug/03/chemical-companies-pfas-payouts-forever-chemicals</a><a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/EPA" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#EPA</a> <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/EPAFail" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#EPAFail</a> <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/PFOS" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#PFOS</a> <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/WaterIsLife" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#WaterIsLife</a> <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/ToxicWaste" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#ToxicWaste</a> <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/ChemicalIndustries" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#ChemicalIndustries</a> <a href="https://kolektiva.social/tags/ForeverChemicals" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#ForeverChemicals</a>

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