Forever Chemicals (PFAS) in Everyday Items: How They Impact Your Body

Introduction

Products that reduce the mess in our daily lives, such as waterproof clothes, grease-resistant food packaging, and nonstick cookware, come at a price.

A group of synthetic chemical which is known as PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances) help to make these consumer products resistant to water, stains, and also grease. Additionally, even at very low concentrations (parts per quadrillion), PFAS are hazardous and pose serious health hazards. They are referred to as “forever chemicals” because they are essentially unbreakable.

For instance, two of the most often used and researched substances in the PFAS group are perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS). In recent years, additional PFAS have taken the role of PFOA and PFOS in the US.

A major concern with PFAS is that they can break down very slowly and accumulate over time in people, animals, and the environment.

The first step in safeguarding the environment and yourself from PFAS’s long-term effects is knowing what they are and why they are essential.

Read More: Forever Chemicals in Tap Water: How PFAS Exposure Affects Your Health

Everyday Sources of PFAS Exposure

A class of compounds known as per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) is helpful in a variety of consumer goods and industrial applications due to their potent ability to repel water and oil as well as heat.

Numerous health risks, including kidney and testicular cancer, hormone disruption, liver and thyroid issues, interference with vaccine efficacy, reproductive harm, and aberrant embryonic development, have now been connected to PFAS in both human and animal research.

PFAS contaminate our food, water, soil, and air in addition to items found in our homes or places of employment. These materials include:

• Drinking water is sourced from both public and private wells.
• Soil and water at or close to waste sites, including disposal sites, landfills, and hazardous waste sites covered by the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act and the federal Superfund programs.
• Manufacturing or chemical manufacturing facilities that utilize or create PFAS, such as those in electronics, chrome plating, and some paper and textile producers.
• Food, such as seafood obtained from PFAS-contaminated water and dairy products from PFAS-exposed cattle.
• Examples of food packaging include pizza boxes, microwave popcorn bags, candy wrappers, grease-resistant papers, and containers or wrappers used for fast food.
• Dust and household items, such as paints, varnishes, and sealants; cleaning supplies; non-stick cookware; and stain and water repellents used on carpets, furniture, clothes, and other textiles.
• Personal care items include specific shampoos, dental floss, and makeup.

How PFAS Enter the Body

Erik D. Olson, NRDC’s senior strategic director of health and food, says PFAS are dangerous for three crucial reasons. “First, the structure of PFAS means they resist breakdown in the environment and in our bodies. Second, they move relatively quickly through the environment, making their contamination hard to contain. Third, for some PFAS, even extremely low levels of exposure can negatively impact our health.”

Even worse, the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) does not regulate or test for the majority of PFAS compounds, and manufacturers are not required to tell customers that they use them.

It is hard to avoid PFAS exposure because there are so many ways (routes) to get PFAS into our bodies. A person is exposed to a chemical when they breathe, swallow (eat or drink), or interact with it. There are several different types of routes of exposure to PFAS:

• Living near sites where drinking water, soil, or air is contaminated.
• Eating food grown or produced close to the manufacturing or use of PFAS.
• Accidentally swallowing dust or soil that is contaminated.
• Eating food stored in PFAS-containing food packaging.
• Using products with chemical measures to repel water or that are stain-resistant.
• Inhaling PFAS (using fire-fighting foam or making chemicals).

Infants born to mothers with PFAS exposure may also be at risk of being exposed:

• Before their birth.
• While nursing.
• Drinking formula combined with water tainted with PFAS.

Even low-level exposure to PFAS can eventually be harmful to our health because they are persistent in the environment and inside of us. Reducing exposure and promoting safer substitutes in the goods and water we use daily requires an understanding of how these chemicals enter and remain in the body.

Read More: 5 Premium Water Filtration Systems for Your Home

Health Effects of PFAS Exposure (Backed by Research)

According to a recent scientific study, there may be adverse health effects from exposure to certain PFAS. To understand how varying exposure levels to distinct PFAS can also lead to a range of health impacts, research is ongoing. Additionally, researchers are conducting studies to learn more about the long-term health impacts of low levels of PFAS exposure, particularly in children.

According to recent peer-reviewed research, exposure to specific PFAS levels can cause:

• Thyroid disturbance and hormonal imbalance are two main issues. Thyroid illness and other endocrine diseases may result from PFAS’s interference with hormone regulation.
• Consequences on reproduction include lowered fertility or hypertension in expectant mothers.
• Consequences or delays in a child’s development can include low birth weight, early puberty, bone abnormalities, or behavioral problems.
• Higher chance of developing certain malignancies, including testicular, renal, and prostate cancers.
• Diminished capacity of the immune system to combat infections, including a diminished reaction to vaccinations.

The expanding corpus of research on PFAS is still being conducted and reviewed by scientists at EPA, other federal agencies, academia, and industry. However, it might be challenging to pinpoint the health impacts of PFAS exposure for a variety of reasons, including:

• Individuals may be exposed to PFAS at different times in their lives and in various ways.
• It is challenging to monitor and evaluate the exposure to the PFAS and its potential impact on human health due to the varying types and applications over time.

Signs You May Have Been Exposed

Doctors can evaluate blood levels for those worried about high exposure to PFOA or other PFAS, but they do not perform this test as a standard procedure in their offices. Even if conducted, the test’s results may not clearly indicate potential health impacts.

The presence of PFAS in your body can only be confirmed through a specialized blood test.

Blood testing for PFAS is not a standard procedure. Doctors carry it out only if they suspect your body may contain elevated amounts of PFAS. Although this test can determine the presence and amount of PFAS in your body, it cannot determine whether or how it may impact your health.

The CDC and the Agency for the Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) have created a PFAS Blood Level Estimation Tool in case blood testing is not available in your area. Still, you are worried that your blood may contain excessive levels of PFAS. It can help you understand your risk, but it can’t substitute for a blood test.

Over time, your body can expel some PFAS through urine and, if you menstruate, blood flow.

To find out more about testing and the potential health implications of the results, speak with your doctor if you have any cause to be concerned about your exposure, such as having lived or worked in an area where PFAS exposure was likely.

Read More: Common Household Toxins You Didn’t Know Could Be Harming Your Health

How to Reduce PFAS Exposure in Daily Life

While completely avoiding these substances isn’t possible, you can take measures to limit how often you’re exposed to them. To reduce your exposure as much as possible, consider the following three aspects of your surroundings as potential sources of PFAS contamination:

• Water Consumption

Considering its widespread use and frequent contamination with PFAS, making it a known source of exposure, this is an excellent area to begin reducing risk. Specific filters can reduce or eliminate PFAS in water.

Most Americans are exposed to PFAS in their drinking water, according to EWG studies. Locate your area in our Tap Water Database and discover the estimated levels of PFAS in your water to find out what’s in it.

Water utilities provide the data in the database, but not all of them have conducted tests and disclosed their findings. Consider using a filter to lower PFAS levels if you rely on a private well or if your water system is not shown on our map.

• Cookware, Food, and Food Packaging

The proposed drinking water restrictions assume that 80 percent of PFAS exposure for the majority of people originates from sources other than drinking water. Although experts expect food to be a significant source of such exposure, Food and Drug Administration examinations of grocery store food have rarely detected PFAS levels above detection thresholds.

Studies show that PFAS are used by manufacturers in grease-resistant paper, microwave popcorn bags, as well as various food packaging and storage containers. When possible, avoid products made with these substances. Consume foods in paperboard and paper-based takeout containers in moderation.

The majority of nonstick cookware contains one or more PFAS. For many years, cookware has served as a symbol for this harmful chemical family, and EWG is in favor of banning PFAS from these goods. Switch to glass, cast iron, and stainless steel kitchenware that you are certain is free of harmful chemicals.

• Clothes and Fabrics

Consumers are most familiar with products made of fabric treated with PFAS as a source of exposure. Manufacturers have probably coated or treated clothing, drapes, upholstery, and carpeting advertised as water-, grease-, or stain-resistant with PFAS.

Before purchasing new apparel and fabrics, such as furniture, make sure they are free of these dangerous substances. Purchase from businesses that have promised not to include PFAS in any of their goods.

Read More: How BPA Exposure in Everyday Products Could Be Hurting Your Fertility

Current Regulations and Awareness

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has implemented significant federal measures to tackle PFAS contamination. In 2025, businesses will need to be mindful of several additional PFAS reporting requirements.

The EPA finalized a very Significant New Use Rule (SNUR) that prohibits the production or processing of inactive PFAS without an EPA review of the substance and risk calculation in early 2024. Regulators consider a substance of significant new use “inactive” if no one has produced (including imported) or processed it in the US since June 21, 2006.

All PFAS that are listed as “inactive” on the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) Inventory and not currently covered by an SNUR are subject to this SNUR, which is a crucial move under the PFAS Strategic Roadmap.

The rule is in line with the Active-Inactive rule’s reporting requirements, according to the EPA. Companies are required to inform the EPA before using any of the 329 PFAS.

In accordance with the 2016 law, the agency will thoroughly examine health and safety data after notification to ascertain whether the new use poses an unreasonable risk to the environment or public health and to impose any required limitations before the use can resume. The approach, released in June 2023, is used to examine any new usage of PFAS.

Read More: 8 Everyday Toxins That Can Disrupt Your Menstrual Cycle (And How to Avoid Them)

Conclusion

Although we may not notice them in daily life, countless commercial products use PFAS, making them unavoidable, and we cannot ignore their long-term influence on the environment and human health.

These “forever chemicals” are included in many products in our homes that we use, eat off of, and put on our bodies, quite often without our knowledge. While total avoidance is difficult, you can and must avoid exposure.

You can take considerable steps to protect yourself and your family by selecting PFAS-free products, filtering your drinking water, and avoiding packaged or fast food. You can reduce risk by reading product labels, carefully choosing the cookware you buy, and supporting companies that promote transparency.