Carcinogens detected in well water in Tokyo, Japan: The pollution source is unclear and suspected to be related to the US military stationed in Japan
Overseas Network, January 3rd According to Japan’s “Tokyo Shimbun” report on January 3rd, the Tokyo Metropolitan Waterworks Bureau stated that the carcinogenic perfluorinated and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) have been detected successively in well water in the Tama area of Tokyo recently. At present, 34 well water intake points of 11 water purification institutions have been shut down.
The source of well water pollution has not yet been identified, but a British reporter once exposed the news that the Yokota base of the US military stationed in Japan has leaked foam fire extinguishing agents containing a large amount of PFAS into the soil for many years.
The "Okinawa Times" and other Japanese media also reported that high concentrations of PFAS were successively detected in the interior and surrounding areas of the US military bases in Kanagawa and Okinawa prefectures.
Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are a collective term for thousands of chemicals, some of which have been linked to health problems such as kidney cancer, testicular cancer and liver damage.
It accumulates in the human body and the environment and cannot be broken down, so it is called a "permanent chemical".
The Tokyo Metropolitan Waterworks Bureau stated that some water purification agencies in the city had detected high concentrations of PFAS about 15 years ago.
Tokyo civic groups have recently organized residents in the Tama area to carry out large-scale blood testing, and called on the government to find out the source of pollution as soon as possible and take timely countermeasures.
(Overseas Network/Wang Shanning)