The widespread use of pharmaceuticals in America is introducing even more toxic “forever chemicals” into the environment through wastewater, according to a study released Monday, and large municipal wastewater treatment plants are not capable of fully filtering them out. The plants’ inability to remove compounds known as organofluorines from wastewater before it enters drinking water supplies becomes even more pronounced during droughts and could affect up to 23 million people, scientists wrote in an article published Monday in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. Most of the compounds came from commonly prescribed medications including antidepressants and statins, the researchers found.

Related articles:

• The New York Times: ‘Forever chemicals’ reach tap water via treated sewage, study finds
• The Hill: As many as 23M Americans exposed to toxic ‘forever chemicals’ via treated wastewater: Study
• The New Lede: Fluorinated drugs, a type of PFAS, widely contaminating US drinking water
• CNN: Scientists discover concerning new source of ‘forever chemicals’ in drinking water
• New Scientist: Wastewater treatment plants funnel PFAS into drinking water