Clean and safe drinking water is a fundamental human right and is essential for the health of all Alaskans. I am a local Alaskan mom and a biologist. If you have children, grandchildren or loved ones with cancer, this will be a top priority for you because this is the “low hanging fruit” of protecting our drinking water and our future.
PFAS chemicals are persistent cancer-causing chemicals found in many household items, food packaging, and other products. The major player for contamination in Alaska is firefighting foam. The devastating tragedy is that most PFAS contamination comes not from fighting actual fires, but from fire fighting drills. One small change in policy will have a huge impact on our water quality, our health and cancer prevention. That is why here in Alaska, we have an opportunity and a responsibility to lead the nation to protect our children and our future.
While just last month a Seattle study found that, “100% of breast milk samples tested positive for toxic “forever chemicals”. Just last year an informative article was released, “As Europe Moves to Ban PFAS, Why Can’t the U.S.?” Change is possible. These articles insist we make changes now.
The good news is the solution is at our finger tips. Passing House Bill 171 and Senate Bill 121 will be the beginning of safety for our children’s and our children’s children’s drinking water and health in Alaska.
Katherine du Plessis,
Anchorage
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