PFAS Pollution in Settsu, Osaka - as of 2024

PFAS Pollution in Settsu, Osaka - as of 2024

A total of 21,000 ng/L of PFOS and PFOA was detected in the groundwater of Settsu City, Osaka Prefecture, 420 times the provisional target of 50 ng/L set by the Ministry of the Environment. This serious contamination has raised concerns about health risks to residents, including cancer and endocrine abnormalities. It is speculated that the contamination originated from a factory, but this is difficult to determine; since PFAS is difficult to decompose and difficult to clean up, the Ministry of the Environment and local governments are investigating the source of the contamination and promoting cleanup measures. Similar contamination has also been confirmed in the Tama area of Tokyo and Ginowan City, Okinawa Prefecture, making the PFAS problem a nationwide issue.

Sources of Information
1. Ministry of the Environment - Official announcement of standard values and contamination status regarding PFAS.
2. Osaka Prefecture and Settsu City - regional groundwater survey reports.
3. local government and NGO reports - public information on PFAS contamination cases nationwide. 4.
National and international research papers - research results on environmental and health risks of PFAS. 5.
5. press articles - reports from national and regional newspapers.