Water pollution reflects the drawbacks of environmental governance in the United States (Observatory), toxic | Michigan | United States
Recently, a new study by the United States Geological Survey showed that nearly half of the water samples in the United States contain toxic "permanent chemicals", and widespread exposure to such substances may pose serious health risks.
This study tested tap water samples from over 700 residential, corporate, and drinking water treatment plants in the United States to determine the presence of perfluorinated or polyfluoroalkyl substances called PFAS. In the end, researchers detected at least one of these artificially synthesized chemicals in 45% of the samples that exceeded the baseline and recommended levels in the United States. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in the United States states that exposure to high concentrations of PFAS substances may disrupt hormones, hinder liver function, increase the risk of kidney or testicular cancer, reduce birth weight, and harm maternal health.
In recent years, water pollution incidents have been common in the United States. ABC reported in April this year that residents of Flint, Michigan in the United States have been struggling with long-term health issues since the local water pollution crisis erupted 9 years ago. During the period from 2014 to 2015, emergency management personnel in Flint City converted the city's water source from Lake Huron to the heavily polluted Flint River in order to save funds. As a result, 100000 residents had their tap water contaminated with lead and Legionella, and 12 people died from pneumonia caused by Legionella infection. The physical and mental health of the local population was irreversibly affected.
However, the constant occurrence of water pollution incidents does not seem to have made the US government tighten its grip on environmental governance. On the contrary, whenever problems are exposed, the attitude of the US government is often not to confront, solve, and reflect directly, but to procrastinate, conceal, and shift blame.
This phenomenon not only occurs in water pollution incidents. The derailment of the "toxic train" that shocked the United States in February this year is another example.
In early February, a train carrying hazardous chemicals derailed in East Palestine, Ohio, USA, causing a large amount of toxic substances to enter the air, water, and soil. The US government's slow response and inadequate handling in this incident have sparked widespread criticism from the public and public opinion.
To this day, the cause of the derailment accident of the "toxic train" has not been determined, and relevant parties continue to argue. Even more ironically, as Reuters pointed out, the Democratic and Republican parties in the United States have once again been embroiled in a new round of political struggle and "blame game" surrounding the accident, completely forgetting that the local people are still deeply concerned about the long-term impact of a large amount of carcinogenic chemical leaks on their health.
There are also many "cancer alleys" in Louisiana that were exposed in June 2022 due to the massive discharge of industrial waste; At least one potentially harmful "permanent chemical substance" was detected in the drinking water of over 8 million residents in Illinois, which was exposed in July 2022; And this year, the American Lung Association announced that nearly 120 million Americans are exposed to unhealthy smoke and haze, and people of color are almost four times more likely to live in the most polluted areas than white people
American politicians who shout "protect the environment" and "environmental justice" turn a blind eye to these alarming environmental issues, distort facts, conceal the truth, and only think about their own interests. In the field of domestic environmental governance, the United States, which is notorious for its shortcomings, often criticizes the environmental policies and practices of other countries, acting as an environmental "teacher" and promoting "double standards".
In the world's number one developed country, enjoying a clean and healthy environment was not easy.
