Toxic PFAS chemicals found in 91% of tested New Jersey waterways, raising cancer concerns

💧 Researchers found up to 20 different PFAS compounds in New Jersey waterways.

⚠️ Some contaminated waterways flow upstream of drinking water intakes.

➡️ Environmental advocates want tougher restrictions on forever chemicals.

Synthetic forever chemicals linked to higher cancer risk and reproductive issues have tainted nearly every tested source of drinking water in New Jersey, according to an unsettling new report.

New Jersey has known the damage PFAS have done to the environment. The state has reached $2.5 billion in settlements with chemical companies DuPont and 3M. A PFAS Water Experts analysis published earlier this year found New Jersey has the second-worst drinking water quality in the nation.

However, the new report shows the problem spreads even farther throughout the Garden State than previously believed. Now, PFAS have been found in tributaries that flow into the Passaic and Hackensack rivers, the Lower Delaware, the Delaware Water Gap, and even deep in the pines.

"We shouldn’t have to worry about tainted drinking water or catching and eating contaminated fish. It’s time to turn off the toxic PFAS tap," said Doug O'Malley, director of Environment New Jersey.

The Delaware River from the Scudder Falls Bridge. (Eric ‘EJ’ Johnson/Townsquare Media NJ)

PFAS found in 91% of tested waterways

Researchers working with Environment New Jersey tested 86 New Jersey waterways for forever chemicals. The report released Wednesday found up to 20 different PFAS compounds in 91% of these waterways.

Concerningly, these toxic chemicals were consistently found upstream of drinking water intakes. That puts a lot of pressure on wastewater treatment plants to filter out PFAS before they reach residents' faucets, O'Malley said.

Conventional wastewater treatment techniques are not designed to remove PFAS, according to the state Department of Environmental Protection.

Environmental advocates want tougher PFAS rules

Environmental advocates are calling on Gov. Mikie Sherrill to impose rules to crack down on forever chemicals — rules that have already been proposed by the state DEP.

The groups behind Wednesday's report are demanding several major policy changes, including regulations on industrial facilities to bar them from dumping PFAS in rivers or sewage treatment plants. The group is also calling for the state to stop farms from using sewage sludge or residual fertilizers contaminated with PFAS.

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Progress is slowly being made on their greatest demand: entirely phase out the use of PFAS, especially in consumer products.

New Jersey has already implemented several PFAS bans, including for cosmetics, carpets, fabrics, and food packaging. A bill moving through Trenton would also ban the chemicals from feminine hygiene products.

But PFAS aren't only in public waterways. 👇

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