Seventeen types of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, or PFAS, were detected in wastewater discharged from a treatment plant at the Godeok Industrial Complex in Pyeongtaek, Gyeonggi Province, according to environmental groups. The groups said they collected samples and had them analyzed by an industry-academic cooperation team at Pusan National University. PFAS are known as “forever chemicals” because their strong carbon-fluorine bonds make them resistant to natural breakdown, and the groups warned that semiconductor wastewater management may have a blind spot.
The reported findings do not include concentrations, legal standards, or responses from authorities and companies, so the environmental and health implications require further assessment.