Japan's Nationwide Survey Finds PFAS in 20% of Water Tested, No Exceeding Safety Thresholds as of September 30, 2024

Nov 29, 2024, 05:17 AM

A nationwide survey conducted by Japan's Ministry of the Environment and the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism has revealed that no drinking water suppliers exceeded the government’s provisional target levels for per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) as of September 30, 2024. The survey, which included testing from 3,755 water supply entities, found that approximately 20% of the tested water sources contained detectable levels of PFAS. However, all results remained below the established safety thresholds. This marks the first comprehensive assessment of PFAS levels in tap water across Japan, highlighting the need for ongoing monitoring of these potentially carcinogenic chemicals, which are commonly referred to as 'forever chemicals' due to their persistence in the environment and human body.