4 The Hidden Chemicals You Can’t Wash Off Most of us wash our fruit and vegetables before eating them. It’s a sensible habit, but washing can only remove what’s on the surface. If a substance has already been absorbed while food is growing, it can’t simply be rinsed away. That’s one reason recent headlines about paraquat have attracted so much attention. Paraquat is one of the world’s most widely used herbicides. While it has been banned or heavily restricted in more than 70 countries, it remains approved for use in Australia under strict regulations. The renewed public discussion has encouraged many Australians to think more carefully about the environmental chemicals we encounter every day. A Dead Platypus. One Water Test. A Bigger Question for the Gold Coast. When a dead platypus was discovered in Ourimbah Creek on the NSW Central Coast earlier this year, it prompted investigators to test the surrounding waterways. The results revealed elevated PFAS levels in parts of the catchment, with some readings exceeding national guideline levels. Investigators believe the contamination may date back decades. Although these findings relate to one location, they raise a much broader question. What contaminants may be present in the catchments and waterways that supply the water flowing into our own homes on the Gold Coast? PFAS, often called “forever chemicals”, are a group of thousands of manmade chemicals used since the 1940s in products such as firefighting foams, non-stick cookware and stain-resistant fabrics. Because they resist heat, oil and water, they break down extremely slowly, allowing them to persist in the environment for decades. According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics National Health Measures Survey, more than 85% of Australians aged 12 years and over had detectable levels of several common PFAS chemicals in their blood, reflecting decades of environmental exposure. You can’t control everything. You can control your water. Paraquat and PFAS are different substances with different sources. But they highlight the same reality. We can’t control every environmental exposure. We can’t control how every crop is grown. We can’t undo decades of contamination. What we can control is the quality of the water flowing through our homes. Whether you’re renting, renovating or building your forever home, there’s a water filtration solution to suit your lifestyle. From renterfriendly benchtop systems and portable bath and shower filters you can take with you when you move, to undersink and reverse osmosis systems that integrate seamlessly with your existing plumbing, through to complete whole-home filtration, Pure Water Systems offers solutions for every stage of life. Proudly locally owned and based in Burleigh Heads, Pure Water Systems has been helping Australian families enjoy better water for more than 33 years. We invite you to visit our showroom, explore the range and speak with our experienced team about finding the right solution for your home. Because while we can’t control everything in our environment... ...we can choose the quality of the water flowing through our homes. Discover the right water filtration solution for your home. Visit our Burleigh Heads showroom or see the Pure Water Systems advertisement opposite.
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