Filter your tap water to reduce harmful “forever chemicals”, say scientists
PFAs are not sufficiently being removed from our drinking water, and water companies are under no legal duty to do so. After these “silent killers” were found in 99% of tap and bottled water samples, scientists advise that filtering our water at home should efficiently remove a considerable amount of PFAs.
A team of 50 scientists from the University of Birmingham have asked the UK government to impose stricter, statutory regulation on PFA chemicals - toxins which take centuries to break down. According to the European Environment Agency, PFAs are “a group of widely used, man-made chemicals that accumulate over time in humans and in the environment.”
Why are PFAs in our water?
PFAs (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances) are used to make everyday products such as cosmetics, food packaging, clothing, carpets, cleaning products, paints, varnishes, sealants, pesticides and firefighting foam. “Using these products releases PFAs into our homes, our food and even the air we breathe,” says environmental charity, Fidra. “Disposing of them only provides a pathway for PFAs to enter the environment, where they can take over 1000 years to degrade.”
“Forever chemicals” have been found in rainwater, soil, wildlife and humans. They’re antibiotic and vaccine-resistant, and can lead to health problems such as liver damage, thyroid disease, obesity, fertility issues and cancer. Infants may be particularly vulnerable as their immune systems aren’t fully formed. The most recent study, from the University of Southern California, warned that drinking contaminated tap water increases cancer risk by up to 33%.
Why aren’t all PFAs removed from our tap water?
“Drinking water is a major source of exposure to PFAs,” says Dr Shubhi Sharma from the charity Chem Trust. “We must have stringent safety standards for PFAs in drinking water to protect people’s health, but the standards currently in place in the UK are outdated and not protective enough.”
The World Health Organisation recommends countries aim for concentrations in tap water that are “as low as reasonably practical". While the US has enforced a strict maximum limit of 0.4 nanograms per litre, the EU and Scotland have imposed the standard 0.1 micrograms law. This is in line with England and Wales’ current guidance, but it is not law. Therefore, there is no statutory requirement for our water companies to remove PFAs from our drinking water.
Professor Luisa Orsini, professor of evolutionary systems biology and environmental omics at the University of Birmingham, explained that while most water treatment plants are efficient at removing pathogens and some chemicals from our drinking water, our current wastewater treatment technology is not sufficient in removing PFAs, and regulation is not strict enough.
Dr Mohamed Abdallah, associate professor of environmental sciences, said: “Our research shows that while the DWI is happy about the things they are monitoring - there are things that are not being monitored."
The industry regulator, the Drinking Water Inspectorate (DWI), recently published updated guidance requiring water companies to monitor for a wider range of PFAs. However, in recent tests, the team from the University of Birmingham found PFAs in 99% of their tap water samples.
Can water filters remove PFAs?
Both lead scientists from the University of Birmingham say they use home water filters to reduce PFAs. "Carbon filters are efficient in removing PFAs," says Dr Abdallah. "Carbon filtration removes a considerable amount of different contaminants, including PFAs, which is good news for everyone who's worried about it, including myself."
Virgin Pure’s Home Water System II contains a unique hydraulic system that forces your mains tap water through a patented combination of nanofibers, super pro-active carbon and active purification. The purification process has been tested and verified by the National Sanitation Foundation (NSF), an independent, internationally-recognized organisation that plays a pivotal role in the development of robust public health standards.
The home filtration system also uses stainless steel tanks, so there’s less risk of microplastic contamination. "People tend to think water from the tap isn't as safe as water from a bottle," said Professor Orsini. "Bottled water runs the risk of exposing you to microplastics, so tap is the better option - especially when combined with filtering." While bottled water manufacturers should also comply with the guidance limit of 0.1 micrograms PFAs per litre, the University of Birmingham’s team found 99% of their bottled water samples contained PFAs.
Find out more about PFAs at pfasfree.org.uk
Find out more about the Virgin Pure home filtration technology
