The US took decades to act against these toxic chemicals. India should not wait
The chemicals, known as PFAS, are used in a vast range of products. The country cannot afford to let them continue to damage human health and the environment.
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On September 3, the National Green Tribunal bench took up a matter to which the Indian government has not yet paid much attention.
The case originated from a study by the Indian Institute of Technology Madras, which analysed water samples collected in Chennai to determine the levels of a family of chemicals known as PFAS, an acronym for per- and polyfluroalkyl substances. Because they are very resistant to breaking down, PFAS are also known as “forever chemicals”.
This property makes them invaluable in the manufacture of a range of products that resist deterioration, including fire retardants, waterproof garments and non-stick cookware. It also makes them extremely harmful to health. A release by the United States’ Environmental Protection Agency noted that “Exposure to PFAS has been linked to deadly cancers, impacts to the liver and heart, and immune and developmental damage to infants and children.”
The IIT Madras study found that the city’s water was contaminated with high levels of these chemicals. “From dump sites to groundwater, cookware to wastewater, these persistent...
