Municipal landfills are releasing toxic gases that contain "forever chemicals" into the air, according to a new study from the University of Florida released on Wednesday.
The research paper, which was published by Environmental Science & Technology Letters and written by a group of researchers led by UF professor Dr. Timothy Townsend, found higher than expected airborne levels of fluorotelomer alcohols, a type of perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) that are found in many consumer products, in three landfills located in Florida.
"These findings suggest that landfill gas, a less scrutinized byproduct, serves as a major pathway for the mobility of PFAS from landfills," the authors wrote.
"While numerous industries are being confronted with PFAS-related management challenges, the burden of remediation and PFAS removal has often fallen on downstream industries — namely, the solid waste sector," they added later in the study.
PFAS are known as "forever chemicals" because of the long time it takes for the compounds to break down, according to the Environmental Protection Agency.
The agency notes that many studies have demonstrated that environmental exposure to some PFAS "may be linked to harmful health effects in humans and animals."
Theodore Bunker ✉
Theodore Bunker, a Newsmax writer, has more than a decade covering news, media, and politics.
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