A new study by researchers at RTI International has found that several American beers contain measurable levels of “forever chemicals,” with the source traced primarily to municipal drinking water used in the brewing process. According to the study, published in the journal Environmental Science & Technology, these per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) were present in beers produced in areas already known to have contaminated water supplies.
Why It Matters
PFAS are a class of man-made chemicals used in non-stick cookware, water-repellent fabrics, and firefighting foams, among other products. Their nickname—”forever chemicals”—comes from their ability to persist in the environment and human body for years. The presence of these chemicals in beer highlights a broader issue about the vulnerability of food and beverage production to environmental contaminants.
What to Know
Researchers analyzed beers from nine states, including North Carolina, Michigan, Colorado, California, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, Missouri and Colorado. International beers examined during the study were brewed in the Netherlands and Mexico.
Dozens of beers brewed in regions with known PFAS contamination were sampled. The study revealed that of the nine states analyzed, there were three counties with the “highest PFAS concentrations” in the beer samples. They are Chatham County, North Carolina; Mecklenburg County, North Carolina; and Kent County, Michigan.
Beers produced in areas such as the Cape Fear River Basin in North Carolina and Kalamazoo, Michigan, were among those found to have elevated PFAS levels. According to RTI International researchers, these regions have documented PFAS presence in public water systems, making local breweries especially vulnerable to contamination.
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About 18 percent of breweries nationwide operate in zip codes with PFAS-detectable water, according to the report. Smaller breweries, which often rely heavily on municipal water without additional treatment, showed some of the highest contamination levels.
“Beers selected based on their brewery location’s proximity to known elevated levels of PFAS in drinking water had 15 times the odds of having one or more detections of PFAS compared to larger-scale U.S. or international beers selected based on consumer popularity without known PFAS sources in municipal water,” the study said.
A map maintained by the Environmental Working Group (EWG) shows more than 8,800 locations across the U.S. with known PFAS contamination in water systems, reinforcing the risk to breweries in affected areas.
PFAS exposure has been linked to health problems, including hormonal disruption, immune system damage, and increased risk of certain cancers, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). These risks make the presence of PFAS in food and beverages a growing public health concern.
What People Are Saying
Study author Jennifer Hoponick Redmon told Newsweek: “As an occasional enjoyer of beer myself, I hope that our adapted testing method and findings provide a way to address PFAS so future happy hours are also relatively healthier ones. For water supplies with PFAS in them already, this means filtering water at the treatment plant or at the brewery. In the future, steps to prevent PFAS from entering water supplies will also help breweries operating downstream.”
EWG on its website regarding its updated map: “The new data, along with reporting from states and other sources, confirm 143 million people in communities throughout the U.S. have drinking water that has tested positive for PFAS. A 2020 study published by EWG scientists estimated more than 200 million Americans are served by water systems with PFOA or PFOS in their drinking water at a concentration of 1 ppt or higher.”
What Happens Next
The study’s authors illustrated the importance of improved water filtration practices in the brewing industry, especially for small to mid-sized breweries. According to RTI International, consumers should be aware of where their beer is brewed and the local water quality conditions.