{"id":8110,"date":"1970-01-01T00:00:00","date_gmt":"1970-01-01T05:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/localhost:10028\/?p=8110"},"modified":"2022-08-25T12:54:20","modified_gmt":"2022-08-25T16:54:20","slug":"what-are-pfas","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/napolilaw.lemonadestand.org\/en\/article\/what-are-pfas\/","title":{"rendered":"What Are PFAS?"},"content":{"rendered":"\nRegulatory bodies do their best to identify harmful substances and make sure they are not used in products available on the market. And yet, there are potentially harmful chemicals that still go unregulated in our water, food, and other products we use.<\/span>\n\nPFAS are among those substances. As serious health concerns over the use of these chemicals have arisen, public and scientific understanding has increased, and more information about the reach and effects of PFAS has come to light.<\/span>\n

What Are PFAS?<\/span><\/h2>\nPFAS\u2014perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances\u2014are a group of over 4,700 synthetic chemicals. They have been used in commercial production since the 1940s to make surfaces resistant to stains, water, and grease.<\/span>\n\nThe most widely studied of these chemicals are PFOA (also known as C8)\u2014a slippery, soap-like chemical used to make Teflon pans, carpet protectant, and hundreds of other products\u2014and PFOS, which has been used in substances such as cleaning products and firefighting foams.<\/span>\n\nPFAS are not naturally occurring and don\u2019t break down organically. This means that when they make their way into water systems and soil, they don’t easily break down and instead collect over time. These chemicals are highly persistent and also accumulate over time in humans and animals.<\/span>\n\nPFAS are so easily dispersed through air and water that they have even been found in the Arctic and its wildlife, including polar bears, and in open ocean waters. <\/span>\n

Where Are PFAS Found?<\/span><\/h2>\nPFAS can be found in a wide range of products. Some products that commonly utilize these chemicals include non-stick cookware, fire retardants, stain and water repellents, some furniture, waterproof clothes, pizza boxes and take-out containers, food packaging, carpets and textiles, rubbers and plastics, electronics, and some dental floss.<\/span>\n\nPFAS have also been found in fish, shellfish, and vegetables that have been grown in contaminated soil or water. But currently, the most harmful and insidious cases of PFAS pollution occur when water sources are contaminated. This can happen as chemicals leach into the ground around military bases and airports, where PFAS are used in flame-fighting foam, and around factories where PFAS are manufactured. And because of their persistent nature, once PFAS have infiltrated the water, they\u2019re unlikely to leave.<\/span>\n\nThe Environmental Working Group (EWG) health advocates have estimated that up to <\/span>110 million Americans could have drinking water contaminated<\/span><\/a> by PFAS.<\/span>\n\nConfirming the widespread permeation and persistence of PFAS, evidence of these chemicals has been found in blood samples from people around the world. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) found PFOA in the blood of 98% of Americans, as well as in breast milk and umbilical cord blood.<\/span>\n

What Are the Possible Health Effects of PFAS?<\/span><\/h2>\nHealth effects of the various kinds of PFAS are still being researched, but a growing body of evidence has linked exposure to some of them to effects including the following:<\/span>\n