A group of potentially toxic "forever chemicals," mostly coming from prescribed drugs, may be contaminating drinking water for millions of Americans, as wastewater treatment plants fail to remove them — and climate change may be making the situation even worse, according to a new report.
Scientists analyzed water samples flowing through eight large publicly owned wastewater plants across the US, all of similar size and using similar technologies to those serving 70% of the population.
Even with advanced treatment technologies, they found forever chemicals and compounds able to transform into them were being discharged into rivers and lakes where they can reenter the drinking water supply. Roughly 23 million Americans could be exposed to these forever chemicals from wastewater alone, the study found.
This is especially concerning as treated wastewater is expected to make up an increasing proportion of drinking water supplies as climate change-fueled drought shrinks water sources, according to Bridger Ruyle, an environmental engineering scientist at NYU and an author of the study.
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Global investment in sustainable construction is accelerating, with a near $2 trillion pipeline of clean industrial projects reshaping the environmental sustainability in construction. Decarbonising the built environment now centres on reducing embodied carbon and whole life carbon across cement and steel production. Institutional capital is driving innovation toward low carbon construction materials and renewable building materials, allowing low carbon design principles to progress from concept to large-scale implementation. Green construction methods are expanding through eco-friendly construction strategies that prioritise life cycle thinking in construction, resource efficiency in construction, and circular construction strategies designed to reduce the carbon footprint of construction.
Cities are positioning sustainable urban development as a core element of climate resilience planning. Global municipalities are seeking more than $105 billion in funding for green infrastructure and nature-based solutions that deliver measurable improvements in building lifecycle performance. These initiatives increasingly require whole life carbon assessment and lifecycle assessment frameworks to align with net zero carbon buildings targets. The uptake of environmental product declarations (EPDs), BREEAM and the forthcoming BREEAM V7 standards reflects a clear commitment to evidence-based sustainable building practices and eco-design for buildings that meet low-impact construction and circular economy in construction goals.
The skills shortage threatens this progress. The UK faces a deficit of at least 14,000 trade apprentices within the green construction sector, limiting capacity for sustainable building design and life cycle cost optimisation. This talent gap risks slowing the transition to net zero whole life carbon operations and undermines cost control on major projects. Expansion of training in sustainable material specification, carbon footprint reduction, and end-of-life reuse in construction is essential to secure both project delivery and compliance with evolving embodied carbon in materials benchmarks.
Global climate policy fragmentation is adding pressure. Divergent national commitments create uncertainty for carbon neutral construction investors while the EU’s focus on low embodied carbon materials and comprehensive lifecycle frameworks strengthens its position as a leader in sustainable architecture and circular economy policy. The convergence of technology, governance, and skill development defines the next decade for sustainable design. Those integrating whole life carbon principles and rigorous life cycle thinking into procurement and project management will define the future of energy-efficient buildings and ensure the long-term competitiveness of the green building products sector.
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