New Findings on PFAS Contamination: Action Needed!

The latest research on PFAS contamination brings more alarming news; we must send an urgent message to Congress and the EPA. Action Alert!

THE TOPLINE

• Recent studies reveal that PFAS chemicals are absorbed through the skin at dangerously high levels, contradicting industry claims that short-chain PFAS are safer. PFAS exposure is linked to severe health issues such as cancer, birth defects, and liver disease.
• Research indicates that common foods, including coffee, white rice, eggs, and seafood, are linked to higher PFAS levels in the body. This points to the pervasive contamination of the food chain, highlighting significant sources such as backyard chicken eggs and seafood.
• The current regulatory approach, addressing PFAS chemicals individually, is insufficient. Comprehensive action, including a class-wide ban on PFAS, is necessary to mitigate the extensive contamination of water, food, and consumer products and protect public health and the environment.

A new study has shown toxic PFAS “forever chemicals” that permeate our air, water, soil, and food are absorbed through our skin at dangerously high levels. Other recent findings have shed light on common foods that are linked with higher levels of PFAS contamination. These revelations underscore the pressing need for action to protect our loved ones and future generations from the harm of PFAS.

PFAS, a class of about 16,000 compounds, are notorious for their persistence in the environment and their ability to accumulate in the human body. These chemicals, linked to a myriad of health issues including cancer, birth defects, and liver disease, are in a wide swath of products designed to resist water, stains, and heat. From waterproof clothing and makeup to bandages and baby products, our daily exposure to PFAS is a source of concern.

The study utilized lab-grown tissue mimicking human skin to measure PFAS absorption, revealing that skin could indeed be a significant exposure route. Researchers found that 15 PFAS compounds, including the highly toxic PFOA, were absorbed in substantial amounts. This raises concerns about the safety of so-called “short-chain” PFAS, which are absorbed by the skin at even higher levels than their long-chain counterparts.

These findings contradict industry claims that shorter-chain PFAS are safer alternatives. Remember, too, that the EPA has found that virtually no level of exposure to certain PFAS is safe in drinking water.

In another study, the ubiquity of PFAS in our food supply was brought to light. Research involving 3,000 pregnant mothers revealed higher levels of PFAS in individuals who consumed more coffee, white rice, eggs, and seafood. This association points to the pervasive contamination of our food chain, from the water used for brewing coffee to the soil in which crops grow. Notably, eggs from backyard chickens and seafood were identified as significant sources of PFAS, likely due to contaminated feed and water.

Of course, we would have a more complete picture if the agency released the next iteration of its Total Diet Study results—the latest data we have are from 2018-2020. According to this data, the FDA has yet to find evidence of PFAS contamination in vegetables, even though our own independent testing found PFAS in all samples of supermarket kale.

Given the extensive contamination of our water, food, and consumer products, it is clear that the current regulatory approach is inadequate. The EPA’s piecemeal strategy of addressing one PFAS chemical at a time is akin to playing whack-a-mole, while the industry simply moves on to the next chemical. All PFAS, regardless of their chain length, are extremely persistent in the environment and pose a real threat to human health. To effectively mitigate this threat, we must push for a comprehensive ban on PFAS as a class.

The time for half-measures has passed. We have enough evidence to act decisively against PFAS contamination. Protecting our health, our children’s health, and the environment requires a bold and unified response. Only by banning these chemicals can we hope to stem the tide of contamination and safeguard our future.

Action Alert! Write to Congress and the EPA, urging them to ban PFAS as a class to protect public health. Please send your message immediately.