$1.6M To Study Links Between Cancer & PFAS In Bucks, MontCo Water

BUCKS & MONTGOMERY COUNTIES, PA — The 2021-22 Pennsylvania state budget includes $1.6 million to fund a Temple University study into possible links between PFAS contamination and cancer.

State Representatives Meghan Schroeder (29), Todd Stephens (151), and Todd Polinchok (144) wrote to Governor Tom Wolf in January to request this funding for research they hope will shed light on the possible consequences of ingesting PFAS.

In 2019, the state allocated $8 million to address existing PFAS contamination and prevent new contamination from spreading in Warminster, Warrington, and Horsham. PFAS likely occurred in these towns as a result of firefighting foam used at naval and military bases in the area.

PFAS are substances which can be found in air, indoor dust, water, food and consumer products including treated carpets.

"Communities all across the Commonwealth want greater certainty about the impact of this insidious chemical on their health," Schroeder said. "The funds included in the new budget will go a long way to accomplishing that."

A cancer review study conducted by the Pennsylvania Department of Health and the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry concluded that the affected communities in Bucks and Montgomery counties did not qualify as cancer clusters. But they did find the towns to have statistically significant increases in certain cancers including myeloma, non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, bladder, and prostate cancers.

Polinchok said this initial state review "warranted deeper examination." Dr. Resa M. Jones, who chairs the department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics at Temple University's College of Public Health, will conduct this further research on cancer and PFAS with the DOH.

"We are overjoyed by this announcement," said Joanne Stanton, co-founder of Buxmont Coalition for Safer Water. The organization's mission items include that the counties have water free from PFAS and other toxic chemicals, and that those who have consumed the water receive free bio-monitoring.

Currently, the DOH says that no consistent scientific evidence shows that PFAS cause cancer in humans. The Environmental Protection Agency is also conducting studies on links between cancer and some of these substances.

To learn more about PFAS, or perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances, check out this fact sheet.

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