A new study led by the University of Arizona estimates that health consequences tied to PFAS chemicals in drinking water result in at least $8 billion in annual social costs across the contiguous United States. These synthetic compounds, known as per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, persist in the environment and have been linked to serious health outcomes, particularly in infants.
Published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, the research analyzed birth records from New Hampshire between 2010 and 2019, focusing on mothers residing near contaminated water sources. Findings showed that women using well water downstream of PFAS sites experienced higher rates of infant mortality within the first year, increased preterm deliveries—including births before 28 weeks—and a greater incidence of low birth weight, including babies under 2.2 pounds.
By projecting these outcomes nationally, researchers determined that the economic burden includes healthcare expenses, lifelong health complications, and diminished earning potential over time. The study’s coauthor, Derek Lemoine, an economics professor at the University of Arizona, stated that the financial benefits of removing these contaminants far outweigh the costs of remediation.
The interdisciplinary team included economists and hydrologists who collaborated through the Arizona Institute for Resilience. Their work highlights that even though long-chain PFAS like PFOA and PFOS are no longer produced domestically, they continue to leach from soil into groundwater. According to hydrologist Bo Guo, only a small portion of these chemicals has reached water supplies so far, with much more still migrating through the ground.
The researchers suggest that activated carbon filtration systems—whether at municipal treatment plants or in individual homes—can effectively reduce exposure. Lemoine advised pregnant women in affected areas to consider installing and maintaining such filters as a precautionary step.
The study underscores the broader economic advantages of environmental regulation and cleanup, suggesting that public health interventions can yield substantial long-term savings.
— news from University of Arizona News
— News Original —
New research links health impacts related to ‘forever chemicals’ to billions in economic losses
The negative health impacts from contamination by so called “forever chemicals” in drinking water costs the contiguous U.S. at least $8 billion a year in social costs, a University of Arizona-led study has found. n nThe study, published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, builds on previous research into how PFAS – per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances – can negatively impact health when the chemicals contaminate drinking water. The research team studied all births in New Hampshire from 2010-2019, focusing on mothers living near PFAS-contaminated sites. n nThe research shows that mothers receiving water from wells that are “downstream” (in groundwater terms) of PFAS-contaminated sites, as opposed to comparable mothers receiving water from “upstream” wells, had higher first-year infant mortality, more preterm births (including more births before even 28 weeks), and more births with infants weighing less than 5.5 pounds (including more births with weights less than even 2.2 pounds). These findings build on earlier laboratory and public health research but offer new evidence from real-world exposure across a large population. n nExtrapolating to the contiguous U.S., PFAS contamination imposes costs of at least $8 billion on the babies born each year, which encompasses medical care, long-term health impacts and reduced lifetime earnings. The results indicate that the potential health benefits of PFAS cleanup and regulation may be substantial. n n”If we compare costs we ‘re finding versus the cost of cleaning up PFAS, the answers are obvious,” said study coauthor Derek Lemoine, a professor of economics and director of graduate studies in the U of A Eller College of Management. “Removing PFAS from drinking water not only results in drastically improved health outcomes. It also produces a significant long-term economic benefit.” n nLemoine and fellow Eller economics professor Ashley Langer collaborated on the research with Bo Guo, an associate professor of hydrology and atmospheric sciences, in the College of Science, after meeting at an event hosted by the Arizona Institute for Resilience to foster collaborative research across disparate fields of study. Lemoine and Langer took an immediate interest in Guo ‘s years-long research into PFAS, while Guo was fascinated by the economists ‘ research into long-term health and economic impacts. n nEller economics alumnus Robert Baluja and former AIR-funded postdoctoral researcher Wesley Howden also contributed to the study. n nPFAS were originally developed to make protective coatings for goods to resist heat, oil and water, and are used in a range of products and in firefighting activities. They earned the label “forever chemicals” because they take much longer to break down naturally in the environment. Researchers have long suspected that exposure to PFAS poses health risks, especially to infants, who can suffer from low birth weight or even die from PFAS exposure via their pregnant mothers. But prior work had not found a way to make PFAS exposure effectively random. n
“We found really substantial impacts on infant health, which expanded on what others before us had found,” Langer said. “What we then do is calculate how these negative birth outcomes follow these children throughout their lives. The numbers we found represent the lowest end of the economic impact – we suspect it is even more.” n nThe U of A study focuses on two “long-chain” PFAS – PFOA and PFOS – that are no longer manufactured in the U.S. but remain in soils and therefore are still percolating into groundwater. n
“Whatever PFAS we see in groundwater is only a tiny fraction of the PFAS that has been dumped in the environment,” Guo said. “The majority of PFAS is still in the soil and migrating downward.” n nThe authors highlight opportunities for future research, including understanding the effects of newer PFAS and the role of long-term exposure. They also note that activated carbon filters, whether used by water utilities or installed in homes, can remove these long-chain PFAS from drinking water. n
“These chemicals may be everywhere, but we still find that drinking water matters for pregnant women. Installing and maintaining home water filters could be prudent for them,” Lemoine said.