From Food Items to Firefighting Foam: How PFAS Became Pervasive
PFAS is one name that is making the headlines quite frequently these days. For the unaware, it refers to the short form for per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, a group of synthetic chemicals. The chemistry of these complex chemicals was discovered back in the 1930s.
All of the chemicals in the group share a bond of fluorine and carbon that is extremely difficult to separate. Over the next decade, various functional groups were developed. These formed at least 12,000+ chemicals that are said to have become ubiquitous.
Why and how did PFAS manage to penetrate every area of modern existence? In this article, we will discuss PFAS’ all-pervasive nature, extending from firefighting foam to food items.
Why PFAS Became Commercially Popular
When PFAS’ chemistry was first discovered, they did not instantly become popular for industrial/commercial use. It took nearly two more decades for that to happen. By the 1950s, scientists had understood much of these chemicals’ composition.
It was enough to assign these chemicals specific roles within different industries. In other words, PFAS became widely used across industry verticals, including firefighting and consumer products.
In the former, they were used mainly in the production of Aqueous Film Forming Foam or AFFF. This Class B firefighting foam was capable of extinguishing fires caused by jet fuel and other liquid fuels. AFFF has been used by firefighters for decades due to its low-viscosity characteristic and ability to repel water and oil.
As for consumer products, PFAS essentially became a crucial part of anything water or oil-proof. This means these chemicals were used for coating the surfaces of non-stick cookware as well as stain-resistant upholstery or garments. Over time, they even became a huge part of personal care products like dental floss, shampoo, toothpaste, and nail polish.
PFAS Traces Found Everywhere, Including Food
What makes PFAS so dangerous is not simply the fact that they can wreak havoc on the environment and human health. These chemicals have been titled the ‘forever chemicals’ because they can remain indefinitely without deteriorating into simpler compounds.
In other words, science is still looking for a concrete way to get rid of PFAS completely. Having been produced for so many decades, these chemicals have become a part of modern life. Studies have found PFAS traces not only in half of US tap water but also in rainwater samples.
This holds even for remote parts of the world like Antarctica. Recent discoveries have been made regarding food packaging. PFAS are used to line food packages, even of those brands that claim to be non-toxic, vegan, and organic.
PFAS were identified in food items, including fruits and vegetables. However, the situation has worsened as a 2024 study found that these chemicals have almost tripled in food items in the last decade. Furthermore, junk and processed foods only increase PFAS levels within the human body.
A Tragic Discovery and Fast-Growing Litigation
For decades, PFAS use carried on uninterrupted across various industries. In the early 2000s, concerns were raised regarding the health and environmental repercussions of these chemicals. Over the following decade, it was found that the most widely studied PFAS were carcinogenic in nature.
This was further confirmed when firefighters and other military personnel claimed that they developed cancer due to regular PFAS exposure via AFFF. In 2017, a group of these affected professionals filed the AFFF firefighting foam lawsuit. A year later, the court had to create a class-action multi-district litigation (MDL) given the vast number of similar cases.
According to TorHoerman Law, cases mainly involved fatal illnesses like cancer of the testicles, bladder, and kidneys. Even US municipalities filed the lawsuit under a separate category for water contamination. They alleged that PFAS polluted the underground water supply, rendering it unfit for consumption.
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) currently has at least 180 Superfund sites that require PFAS remediation. Besides the severe injuries caused after decades of direct and heavy PFAS exposure, these chemicals are bad news.
The Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) lists down common health risks associated with PFAS, including –
- Lower antibody response to certain vaccines
- Reduction in birth weight
- Changes in liver enzymes
- Rise in cholesterol levels
- Preeclampsia and pregnancy-related hypertension
All such complications depend on the frequency and dosage of PFAS exposure. This is just the beginning since researchers are still learning about PFAS and their health effects.
In light of the pervasiveness of these chemicals, they have been banned from production. The ban will most likely take effect by 2026. 3M, the main producer of PFAS, has promised to completely stop PFAS manufacturing by the end of 2025.
Though it is good news that more PFAS will not be produced, it is hardly a cause to rejoice. This is because cleaning the world of existing traces of these chemicals will be a Herculean task, if not impossible. Hopefully, procedures will be soon discovered to break down PFAS into simpler forms that can be easily managed.
