WC138 SeptOct 2024 - Flipbook - Page 24
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WATER C AN ADA • SEP TEMBER/OCTOBER 2024
WAT E R C A N A D A . N E T
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revised in 2016—prohibit the
manufacture, use, sale, and import
of PFOS and PFOA, as well as
other long-chain perfluorinated
compounds. This includes manufactured products containing these
substances. It should be noted
that a limited number of uses of
“A number of recent articles and reports have highlighted the
these substances are still permitted
under these regulations, and these
problem of contaminated groundwater, which has repercussions
mainly concern the use of fire-exon the quality of drinking water supplied to the population.”
tinguishing foams. Although longchain perfluoroalkyl acids have
been mostly banned or eliminated
from consumer products in many
countries, the Swedish Chemicals
Agency estimates that 3,000 PFAS
are in circulation worldwide.
The main sources of human
exposure to PFAS are from
drinking water and food. To
reduce potential exposure to PFAS
through drinking water, Health
Canada has stated an exposure
limit of 30 ng/L based on the sum
of specific detected PFAS. This
objective, when finalized, will
replace the two previous drinking
Among the international community, PFAS manufacturers in
water guidelines and nine screening values derived for indithe United States are trying to settle lawsuits relating to the advidual PFAS compounds. At present, there are no Canadian
verse effects of PFAS. The chemical manufacturer 3M, recognized
guidelines for PFAS in soils. In the absence of a soil quality
as one of the main producers, has agreed to pay up to a record
guideline, Health Canada has developed soil screening values
$12.5 billion in collective settlement nationwide with public
(SSVs) for 11 selected perfluoroalkyl substances.
water systems that detect PFAS chemicals in their drinking water
supplies. The lawsuits alleged that 3M and other companies
A groundwater issue
manufactured or sold products containing PFAS despite being
Several recent articles and reports have highlighted the probaware of the risk posed to the environment and human health,
lem of contaminated groundwater, which has repercussions on
including the development of cancers.
the quality of drinking water supplied to the population.
On April 10, 2024, the U.S.’s Environmental Protection
In Quebec, Professor Sauvé and his colleagues from the
Agency announced the final National Primary Drinking Water
University of Montreal created a geographic map of contamRegulation (NPDWR) for six PFAS that strengthens the regulainated locations. PFAS were analyzed in tap water samples
tion of PFAS and require monitoring of public water systems.
collected on a large scale in Quebec, covering 376 municipalities spread across 17 regions. Target and nontarget screening
PFAS in a nutshell
revealed the presence of 31 and 23 compounds, respectively, in
These synthetic chemical substances—with high chemical and
which 99.3 per cent of 463 tap water samples tested positive
thermal stability, and the ability to repel water and oils—are
for at least one PFAS.
found in non-stick coatings, food packaging, water repellents,
Since 2022, in La Baie, a district of the city of Saguenay,
and fire-fighting foams, among others. The EPA’s list currently
variable concentrations of total substances (PFAS) were meascontains 12,048 PFAS entries.
ured in the drinking water of the distribution network, reachIn Canada, the federal regulations—adopted in 2008 and
ing high levels (above the future applicable criteria of 30 ng/L)
