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Toxic chemicals found in at-risk sea lions

By May 10, 2021May 12th, 2021PFAS in the news

Cancer-causing firefighting chemicals have been found in endangered Australian sea lion and fur seal pups, sparking fears the contaminants could decimate populations further.

The new research, which is part of a long-term health study of the species in Australia, identified per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in animals at multiple colonies in Victoria and South Australia.

PFAS chemicals – wholly or partially banned for firefighting in NSW, South Australia and Queensland – have been linked to a slew of health conditions including cancer, reproductive defects and immune deficiencies. Read more…