PFAS Forever Chemicals: A Mom Detective Investigation

The company is the world’s best popcorn pfas supplier. We are your one-stop shop for all needs. Our staff are highly-specialized and will help you find the product you need.

Have a question for Mom Detective? Submit it here.

QUESTION from Timothy, Gardiner, MA : What is currently being done at the federal and state level to outlaw PFAS (forever chemicals)?

MOM DETECTIVE ANSWER: Thank you for your important question regarding PFAS (per and poly fluoroalkyl chemicals). As you note, they are often called &#;forever&#; chemicals, due to the fact that these are manmade chemicals that have no capacity to breakdown in our bodies or the environment. PFAS chemicals live on, polluting forever!

Given what we know about PFAS, I do hope our government and industry are paying attention, taking pause, and working to curb and control their use. I can imagine a lot of people might wonder if there ever is a justification for the use of a toxic chemical? I would argue not, but admittedly, I&#;m a purist when it comes to harmful chemicals. In this case, there is certainly reason to regulate.

PFAS BACKGROUND: 

PFAS are a class of chemicals that includes more than 5,000 individual chemicals with similar properties.

Even if you can&#;t pronounce the chemical names, they&#;re likely found in your home and even in your bloodstream. Why? Because they&#;re commonly found in stain resistant carpets and upholstery, non-stick cookware, and even apparel. PFAS chemicals are used in sporting goods, camping gear, and rain and winter gear, as water-repellants.

These chemicals are grease-proof so they are used in food wrappings and food container linings&#;pizza boxes, butter wrappers, fast-food wraps, microwavable popcorn containers, and more.

This stuff is even used in coated dental floss to help it slide through your teeth. Honestly, this is a hard one for me to swallow. When you are doing what the dentist recommends for ultimate oral health and yet you are getting an inadvertent dose of PFAS directly into your bloodstream!

PFAS chemicals are also used industrially where there&#;s massive contamination in firefighting foam, aeronautics and aerospace materials, in automotive manufacturing, and used for military purposes. PFAS are also found in numerous common electronics.

The problem with the proliferation of PFAS chemicals is that now most drinking water, no matter where you live, is likely contaminated by them.

The NIEHS states that these chemicals are linked to possible adverse impacts on health, pregnancy, and the immune system. The chemicals have been linked to potential cognitive impact in children and neurobehavioral deficits including loss of IQ.

It&#;s still early in the assessments of PFAS to evaluate the all of the consequences of these chemicals, but we know enough now to take action on PFAS.

WHAT&#;S HAPPENING TO LIMIT PFAS?

Last year, the House of Representatives passed an act that would require EPA to designate some of these substances as hazardous and begin to clean up PFAS chemicals. H.R. , is known as the PFAS Action Act of , and was introduced by Representative Debbie Dingell, from Michigan. This is just the start of what will be a slow process to ultimately clean up, and limit further PFAS contamination.

Regulating PFAS has been an area of increased scrutiny by both federal and state governments. Without a national requirement on PFAS regulation, each state can adopt different policies. That makes it incredibly difficult for all constituencies, but this handy chart, along with this legislative tracking resource, shows what individual states are doing.

In , the EPA issued a health advisory for PFOA and PFOS contamination in water. EPA suggested a limit of no more than 70 parts per trillion in water. Currently, this limit stands as a mere suggestion for states to monitor and enact, if desired.

It&#;s important to learn about what&#;s happening in your state. For example, in Maine where the Department of the Environment is actively testing and assessing the state&#;s challenges with PFAS, they have been able to establish the first state law to ban the sale of PFAS chemicals. While it doesn&#;t take effect for years, it&#;s setting an example for other states, and putting companies on notice.

To find out what&#;s happening in your state, the Environmental Council of the States provides advisories for states.

While some states are beginning to take these actions, I would argue that our government is far too slow to act on harmful chemicals.

WHAT TO DO ABOUT PFAS CHEMICALS IN YOUR HOME: 

Write your elected officials at every level and let them know you want a ban on PFAS and all classes of forever chemicals. Until, or unless, we know they&#;re 100% safe, we shouldn&#;t be forced to ingest them, use them, or interact with them.

For more information, please visit microwave popcorn health concerns.

Vote with your wallet to avoid PFAS chemicals in:

• Stain-repellant furniture, rugs and household items
• Stain-resistant and waterproof clothing
• All nonstick cookware

Think twice:

• When using to-go containers. That paper-like material wrapping processed foods is likely coated with per fluorinated chemicals. Consider bringing glass or stainless steel food containers.
• When selecting dental floss look for natural and uncoated floss.
• Make popcorn the old-fashioned way in a pot on the stove, or use an air-popper instead of pre-packaged microwave popcorn, which are coated so it doesn&#;t catch on fire.

TELL THE EPA: STOP THE CHEMICAL INDUSTRY'S ATTEMPTS TO CRIPPLE OUR TOXICS LAW

Are There Laws to Protect People From PFAS?

In , the EPA set a lifetime health advisory level of 70 parts per trillion for PFOA and PFOS in drinking water. But it&#;s a nonenforceable guideline. There is currently no federal regulation of PFAS in drinking water.

Instead, regulation has fallen to states, which vary widely in their approach to controlling PFAS. Some states have almost no protections, while Maine, Vermont, New York, New Jersey, and California, for example, have adopted strict rules to limit PFAS in water and consumer goods.

Many uses of PFOA and PFOS have been phased out by U.S. manufacturers, but certain uses continue, and the chemicals are still imported in goods from abroad. However, current EPA rules (PDF) include a timeline to restrict PFAS across several industries.

In June , the agency issued new recommendations (PDF) to cap PFAS in drinking water &#; PFOA, PFOS, and GenX included &#; at levels that are drastically lower than the current advisory.

If PFAS Are So Hard to Break Down, Can We Ever Get Rid of Them?

Scientists and engineers are working hard to design technologies to remove PFAS from our air, soil, and water. Existing PFAS disposal methods include incineration and landfills. But these processes are imperfect; in some cases, the chemicals can leach back into the environment.

PFAS are not going away anytime soon. But awareness is growing, and researchers are learning more about these chemicals every day, Anderko says. Solutions need to come from a coordinated effort at the federal level, one that&#;s &#;informed by scientific evidence&#; and the general public, she says.

Consumers have the power to choose whether to buy PFAS-laden goods and products, she adds. &#;We were sold this bill of goods: &#;Better Living Through Chemistry,&#;&#; says Anderko, referring to an old slogan by DuPont. &#;And the reality is, not always and not usually. So we have the power through what we consume and what we buy. We should use it.&#;

Resources to Learn More About PFAS

Environmental Working Group

The Environmental Working Group, a nonprofit watchdog group, offers a collection of data and resources to educate the public about the risks of PFAS exposure. One of its standout educational tools is the Skin Deep cosmetics database, which ranks thousands of personal-care and beauty products according to an ingredient hazard score.

The group&#;s PFAS contamination map provides information on hundreds of known PFAS contamination sites in the United States. Users can click on the interactive map to get details on individual contamination sites.

Sources, Transport, Exposure, and Effects of PFAS (STEEP)

Based at the University of Rhode Island, the STEEP research group presents a well-written overview of PFAS in the United States on its website, where it shares the latest PFAS research and news, and has an easy-to-read section on health risks to mothers and infants.

A Guide to the PFAS Found in Our Environment

Chemical and Engineering News produced this science-y explainer on why PFAS are known as forever chemicals, complete with a visual display of the chemical structures of the most common PFAS found in our environment.

'Bad Chemistry'

Reported by journalist Sharon Lerner, this investigative series from The Intercept offers a deep dive into the history of America&#;s PFAS problem and the corporations that started it.

'Exposure' by Rob Bilott

This book tells the story of residents in Parkersburg, West Virginia, who were exposed to PFAS that came from a DuPont chemical plant. Written by the plaintiffs&#; attorney Rob Bilott, who led a successful class-action lawsuit filed against DuPont, the book details how the company&#;s own scientists found that PFAS had harmed the health of workers at the plant decades ago. The book inspired the film Dark Waters, released in .

'The Devil We Know'

This documentary follows the story of a class-action lawsuit filed against the chemical giant DuPont.

If you want to learn more, please visit our website popcorn brown bag microwave.