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What are PFAS? Understand the buzz about forever chemicals

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PFAS have been in the news again this month after the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced newly enacted regulations limiting the amount of these toxic chemicals that can be used in or around municipal water sources. It’s a step environmental scientists have been seeking for decades, but it’s just one of many steps they say are still needed.

“The general public should not be responsible for eliminating their exposure to PFAS since the chemicals were released into the environment by chemical companies in the first place,” said Dr. Erin Haynes, professor of preventive medicine and environmental health at the University of Kentucky. College of Public Health. Instead, she says the burden of protecting citizens from PFAS exposure falls on companies and government oversight and regulation.

What are PFAS?

Perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl chemicals, collectively known as PFAS, consist of more than 12,000 man-made chemical compounds that “are used in a wide range of consumer products,” explains Susie Dai, PhD, an environmental scientist at Texas A&M University.

Most commonly, PFAS are used in nonstick, greaseproof and waterproof coatings and surfaces, and are also used in flame retardants and to extend the life or usefulness of a variety of everyday items.

Are PFAS the same as ‘forever’ chemicals?

Although different PFAS have different chemical structures, all PFAS have at least one common feature: the presence of carbon-fluorine bonds, which are among the strongest bonds in chemistry.

This powerful compound is attractive to manufacturers because it extends the life and improves the functionality of many common products; but it’s also a bad thing, because it means that once these chemicals are created and released into the world, they don’t break down easily in the environment or in our bodies — earning PFAS the nickname “forever chemicals.”

Over time, this exposure can harm the planet and harm people and animals. “Exposure to high levels of PFAS is associated with a higher risk of cancer, reduced kidney and liver function, reproductive and embryonic development problems, and blunted responses to vaccines,” said Dr. Kristin Scheible, a microbiologist and immunologist at the University of Rochester Medical . Centre.

How are people exposed to PFAS?

While avoiding exposure is difficult because PFAS have been used in manufacturing for more than 80 years and have found their way into countless soil and water sources during that time, it is possible to at least limit exposure to harmful substances. some exposure by knowing in which products and places PFAS are commonly found.

More: Prime energy, sports drinks contain PFAS and excessive caffeine, class action lawsuits say

For example, PFAS are commonly used in nonstick cookware, greaseproof food packaging, outdoor clothing, waterproof cosmetics, and stain-resistant carpets and furniture. Although most such products do not advertise that they are made with PFAS, if a product says it is waterproof, stain resistant or non-stick and is not advertised as PFAS-free, “then it probably contains PFAS,” says Scott Bartell, PhD, professor of environmental and occupational health at the University of California, Irvine.

In addition to commercial product use, people are also exposed to PFAS by eating produce grown in PFAS-contaminated soil or by eating animals that have fed on PFAS-contaminated grasses. More often, many people are drinking directly from PFAS-contaminated water sources, as research shows that as much as 45% of tap water in America has become contaminated by at least one of these perennial chemicals.

To help, Bartell recommends installing a water purification system for all tap water entering the home so that PFAS can be filtered out, “until the new EPA standards take effect.”

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