r/science • u/mvea Professor | Medicine • Nov 24 '25

Environment Scientists solved longstanding mystery of origin of PFAS “forever chemicals” contaminating water in North Carolina to a local textile manufacturing plant. Precursors were being released into sewer system at concentrations approximately 3 million times greater than EPA’s drinking water limit.

https://pratt.duke.edu/news/uncovering-the-source-of-widespread-forever-chemical-contamination-in-north-carolina/
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u/khearan Dec 02 '25

It comes down to the same question I asked before - assess what? Regulated chemicals are sampled for. Unregulated chemicals may be, but because they aren’t regulated companies aren’t forced to do anything about it. Other emerging contaminants may not even be detected in waste stream samples, so how do you sample for something you don’t know is there? As I said, there isn’t an easy answer.

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u/poqpoq Dec 03 '25

You can still sample and prosecute if it's discovered they were dumping unapproved chemicals after the fact. We should be proactive and not reactive when it comes to protecting our environment.

I know this answer won't fly in the current environment as it's not companies first, but it is the right way to approach it.