A weekly roundup of public health news
Hidden PFAS found in bottled drinks, tap water
Standard monitoring for “forever chemicals” in drinking water and other beverages may be missing some widespread contaminants.
A new study, published in the October issue of Environmental Science & Technology Letters, found high levels of an overlooked category of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances in most beverages sampled by researchers.
Known as ultra short-chain PFAS, the chemicals are difficult to detect and remove from water because of their small size. Unlike better-known types of PFAS, the ultra-short chain chemicals are generally not part of routine U.S. drinking water monitoring.
Researchers in New Jersey tested tap water samples from across the state and a range of commercially available bottled beverages, including sports and electrolyte drinks that were manufactured across the U.S. and world. One PFAS chemical, trifluoroacetic acid, was detected in more than 91% of tap water samples and nearly 80% of bottled beverages.
Concentrations were especially high in beverages containing added ingredients. On average, sports drinks, electrolyte waters and other formulated beverages had 52 times more TFA than plain bottled water.
Although TFA is not intentionally added to beverages, contamination may come from added ingredients, manufacturing processes or water sources dirtied by pesticides or refrigerants, researchers said.
PFAS are referred to as forever chemicals because they do not easily break down in the environment or human body. Exposure to some types of PFAS has been linked to cancer, immune system problems, developmental issues and other health concerns. European chemical regulators recently recommended classifying TFA as toxic to reproduction.
When ‘peaker’ power plants fire up, ED visits spike
People who live near gas-fired “peaker” power plants — heavy-polluting facilities that are turned on when electricity demand surges — may be at higher risk for breathing problems, new research in the Journal of Climate Change and Health finds.
Researchers examined health data on people living near a peaker plant in Peabody, Massachusetts, about 15 miles north of Boston. They found higher exposure to emissions from the plant was associated with more same-day emergency department and urgent care visits for respiratory problems. And as pollution exposure worsened, people of color were more likely to seek care for breathing issues, the study said.
Peaker plants are used during sudden increases in electricity demand, particularly during periods of extreme heat or cold. Unlike conventional power plants, they operate intermittently, sometimes running for only a few hours or days. Many use older, less efficient equipment that produces substantial pollution.
The U.S. has about 1,100 peaker plants operated with fossil fuels, according to the Clean Energy Group. About 63 million Americans live within three miles of one of the plants, which tend to be located in lower-income areas and communities of color.
New research: Humans cause climate change, and it’s getting worse
Humans are causing the Earth’s climate to change — and scientific evidence proves that conclusion is “incontrovertible,” a new review confirms.
More than 30 years of scientific research has established a clear connection between human activities and rising global temperatures, with evidence growing even stronger in recent years, according to the review published October 12 in Earth’s Future.
From warming oceans and changing rainfall patterns to shrinking snow cover and rising atmospheric temperatures, human-related emissions from power plants, vehicles and other sources are destabilizing the world’s climate, the review found.
That change is fueling extreme weather, including dangerous heat waves and heavy rainfall that can threaten human health through illness, flooding and damage to food crops.
The findings contrast a 2025 U.S. Department of Energy report that rejected established climate science. The report was used by the Trump administration this year to overturn the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s endangerment finding, a 2009 legal determination that greenhouse gases threaten public health and welfare. It served as the foundation of federal policies that set limits on greenhouse gas emissions.
Since the finding’s removal in February, the Trump administration has repealed vehicle emission standards and stripped carbon emission limits for power plants — moves that have been condemned by public health experts and challenged in court.
Even as the U.S. scales back its environmental health protections, climate change impacts such as warmer oceans, flooding, wildfires and extreme storms are occurring rapidly across the planet, according to a new “state of the climate” report in BioScience.
Fueled by human activity, concentrations of carbon dioxide, methane and nitrous oxide all reached record levels in the atmosphere in 2026. Global fossil fuel consumption also reached a record high in 2025, despite work by some international leaders to curb usage. Global warming has also accelerated, with the U.N. announcing this summer that the world is on course to cross a key temperature threshold that will endanger human health even further.
The consequences are already deadly. A June 2026 European heat wave caused an estimated 14,000 deaths, while severe storms and flooding killed hundreds across parts of Asia and the Caribbean over the past year. In the U.S., a summer heat wave — which set new records in July — caused at least 70 deaths, an investigation by The Washington Post found.
Other recent public health news of note:
• It’s becoming more common for people to face both heat waves and air pollution from wildfires at the same time, new findings in Science Advances show. More than half the world’s population experienced greater concurrent exposure to the two health risks from 2000 to 2019, according to the Oct. 14 study. An average of 916 million people worldwide experienced both hazards on the same day at least once annually, with that number growing by nearly 300 million people per decade. In North America, the number of people experiencing both hazards increased to 156 million in the 2010s.
• People with chronic illnesses pay more for recommended care under high-deductible health plans, a new analysis in JAMA Network Open finds. Published October 13, the study found that patients with diabetes, high blood pressure or both paid as much as 2.4 times more out of pocket for recommended medical care than people with traditional insurance plans. About 42% of privately insured Americans have high-deductible plans, which generally offer lower monthly premiums but require people to pay more before insurance covers their care.
• Rural residents who live near animal farming operations are more likely to have antimicrobial-resistant residue in their homes, new research shows. Published Oct. 8 in Journal of Exposure Science & Environmental Epidemiology, the Iowa-based study found that homes close to large livestock operations were more likely to contain dust with genes that allow bacteria to resist antibiotics. Scientists analyzed bedroom dust from hundreds of homes, finding genes for antimicrobial resistance in 26% of samples. Homes surrounded by more livestock operations had higher odds of contamination, particularly those located near cattle and swine facilities.
• As costs continue to rise, more Americans say they’re worried about being able to afford healthcare, a recent poll finds. The KFF survey, administered in September, found 60% of Americans are worried about paying for health insurance, doctor visits, prescription drugs and other medical expenses. Healthcare costs ranked alongside gas and transportation expenses as the biggest affordability concerns, ahead of groceries, utilities and housing. The poll also found widespread dissatisfaction with the U.S. healthcare system. About 85% of adults said it needs major changes or a complete overhaul.
The Watch is written by Michele Late, who has more than two decades of experience as a public health journalist.
Source: publichealthwatch.org
