PFAS
PFAS, Pervasive Toxins
PFAS, or per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, are a group of widely-used, man-made chemicals that are all around us. They're called "forever chemicals" because they don't degrade. They can accumulate in both the environment and the human body. Studies have found that PFAS can cause serious health problems, including cancer. PFAS include more than 4,700 chemicals. They have been produced since the 1940s, but their health and environmental risks only gained widespread attention after the chemicals were found in drinking water in 2001. Nearly everyone has come in contact with these so-called forever chemicals through water, food, consumer products and more. Here is an informative article on this important issue from ConsumerNotice.org. According to the EPA and the European Environment Agency, health impacts of PFAS include:
- Reproductive effects such as decreased fertility or increased high blood pressure in pregnant women.
- Developmental effects or delays in children, including low birth weight, accelerated puberty, bone variations, or behavioral changes.
- Birth defects
- Increased risk of some cancers, including prostate, kidney, and testicular cancers.
- Reduced ability of the body’s immune system to fight infections.
- Interference with the body’s natural hormones.
- Increased cholesterol levels and/or risk of obesity.
- Liver damage, kidney disease and thyroid disease.
- Obesity
Sources of PFAS are everywhere: Public and private drinking water supplies, grease-resistant food packaging and wrappings, especially fast food containers, Food, including fish caught in PFAS-contaminated water, personal care products like make-up and shampoo, non-stick cookware, coatings to make carpets, upholstering and clothing water and stain-repellant, paints and much more. Those are just a few examples of how we're exposed to PFAS daily. Even extremely low levels of exposure can affect our health, according to Erik D. Olson of the Natural Resources Defense Council.
A 2024 study done by the University of Notre Dame found that high levels of PFAS chemicals are in many smart watches and can be absorbed into the body through the skin. Of 22 brands tested, 15 were found to have the chemicals and not just a little bit -- but at levels even higher than that found in clothing, consumer goods and even firefighting gear. This is especially concerning since watches are usually worn for long periods of time and when users are working out -- as many who wear sport watches do -- the presence of sweat can accelerate the absorption of the chemicals into the skin.
A 2024 Brown University study found that use of personal products by pregnant and lactating women increased the levels of PFAS in their blood and breast milk. The study found a correlation between the number of products used —such as nail care products, fragrances, makeup, hair dyes and hair sprays or gels—and higher plasma PFAS concentrations in the body.