LOUISVILLE, Ky. — The Ohio River contains pre-and poly-fluoroalkyl substances or PFAS. They're known as forever chemicals.
The Kentucky Energy and Environment Cabinet says the DuPont Company is responsible for knowingly discharging the chemical into the Ohio River, from its plant in West Virginia.
While our water is safe to drink, the state alleges damage to recreation in waterways.
The Louisville Water Company told WHAS11 News, "Louisville Water’s most recent monitoring shows that the levels of PFAS we see in the Ohio River and in our finished drinking water are below the proposed EPA regulations."
But what is PFAS and why is it called a forever chemical? We asked Dr. Jamie Young. She an Assistant Professor of Pharmacology and Toxicology at UofL.
"Forever chemicals are exactly what they sound like because essentially they are made up of these carbon-fluorine bonds and those bonds are not naturally made," she said. "So, we are having a really hard time trying to figure out how to break those bonds so we can break down these chemicals."
Dr. Young actively studies the impact forever chemicals have on the human body, specifically the liver.
"They get into our bodies and disrupt normal function," she said. "They can cause problems with reproduction. They are linked to some types of cancers - kidney and reproductive cancers."
Dr. Young stressed we still don't know the full impact these chemicals can have."Again, it's about research," she said. "Trying to figure out what's going on. There are a lot of people across the country and across the world that are coming together to tackle this issue."
In March, the Environmental Protection Agency proposed a new standard for PFAS in drinking water. It requires a few more steps before the law is legally enforceable but Louisville drinking water is already within that standard.
Dupont says on its website, "Presently, the company's use of PFAS is limited. We have systems, processes and protocols in place ensuring that PFAS is used safely, controlled to the highest standards and minimized. "
Still, Kentucky and multiple other states look to hold DuPont accountable. The complaint filed looks to make DuPont and its entities responsible for cleanup, both now and in the future.
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