A recent study by IIT Madras reveals the pervasive presence of ‘forever chemicals’ — pre- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) — in Buckingham Canal, Adyar River and Chembarambakkam Lake.
PFAS are a vast family of synthetic chemicals found in everyday products such as non-stick cookware, upholstery, food packaging, water or stain resistant coatings, and industrial materials.
These chemicals do not degrade easily in the environment.
These PFAS concentration in the city waters is about 19,400 times more of these ‘forever chemicals’ than the American Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) safety levels.