Canada Faces “Forever Chemical” Crisis: New Limits Slashed

Widespread Contamination Found Across Nation’s Bloodstream

A vast majority of Canadians are carrying concerning levels of “forever chemicals” in their bodies, prompting a drastic revision of drinking water safety standards. These ubiquitous compounds, found in everything from raincoats to food packaging, have been linked to serious health issues.

Stricter Standards Introduced

Statistics Canada reports that over 98% of Canadians have these persistent human-made compounds in their blood. Previously, federal limits allowed for higher concentrations of specific PFAS, like PFOS at 600 nanograms per litre and PFOA at 200 nanograms per litre. A nanogram is roughly the weight of a single human cell.

New, albeit unenforced, recommendations have slashed these allowable limits significantly. The total sum for 25 different types of PFAS in drinking water is now recommended at just 30 ng/l.

Southern Ontario Waterways Show Promising Results

Fortunately, water sampling conducted last fall at Union Water Supply indicated levels well within the newly proposed guidelines. Rodney Bouchard’s utility reported a total PFAS sum of 13 ng/l.

The testing was performed by University of Waterloo chemistry professor Scott Hopkins, who is actively screening water utilities throughout southern Ontario. He notes that typical results from tested utilities average between five and 15 ng/l, a quantity he likens to a single Coca-Cola bottle’s worth of water in Lake Erie.

“No alarm bells, but definitely worth monitoring and trying to come up with some sort of strategy for how we would handle this in the future,” Hopkins stated.

—Scott Hopkins, Chemistry Professor, University of Waterloo

Long-Term Environmental Concerns Mount

Scientists express concern not only for current water quality but also for the future buildup of these chemicals, which can persist in the environment for hundreds of years. “Those concentrations that we have in the environment I don’t think are going to drop unless we force them down,” Hopkins explained. “We put the molecules there. The environment is not able to handle it. It’s up to us to take them out.”

The US Environmental Protection Agency is also taking action, proposing national drinking water standards for PFAS chemicals. The proposed rule would limit certain PFAS to 4 nanograms per liter, significantly lower than previous guidelines (EPA, 2024).