Environment
fromHigh Country News
8 hours agoWildfires make soil poisonous - High Country News
Wildfires convert harmless chromium-3 into toxic chromium-6, posing health risks through air and groundwater contamination.
More than 200 million people are at risk of drinking tap water contaminated with chemicals that cause cancer, liver damage, birth defects and other reproductive harms, according to research released Wednesday that includes an interactive map of high-risk hot spots. The map, developed by the Environmental Working Group (EWG), focuses on arsenic, chromium-6 and nitrate - all scientifically known to cause cancer and other health problems.