PFAS chemicals are contaminating waterways across Colorado, putting fish, wildlife and drinking water at risk. That’s the conclusion of a new report from CoPIRG Foundation, Environment Colorado Research & Policy Center and Frontier Group. The study, PFAS in America’s Rivers and Lakes, finds that PFAS were detected in Colorado’s waterways at 63% out of 16 testing locations from 2022 to 2024. … The new report, which covers 40 states, draws on data from the national Water Quality Portal maintained by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Researchers detected as many as 18 different PFAS compounds at one or more water testing locations in Colorado. … As early as 2019, Colorado legislators began to ban the use of PFAS, starting with certain firefighting foams. Ensuing bills have tackled a range of consumer products including carpets, food packaging, juvenile products, dental floss, outdoor apparel and artificial turf.

Related: 

• The Daily Sentinel (Grand Junction, Colo.): Report: ‘Forever chemicals’ detected in Colorado river near Utah border
• Environment America: Blog: PFAS found in America’s lakes and streams