PFAS — The Toxic Chemical Finding its Way into Our Everyday Lives

 

Each year, it seems like there’s a new carcinogenic chemical we’re reading about, an alphabet soup of toxicity to add to our list of concerns — BPA (bisphenol A) in our plastic bottles and receipt paper, TCE (trichloroethylene) leaking into our drinking water, 1,4-dioxane in many of our detergents, shampoos and cosmetics, just to name a few. 

 

Add to that growing list: PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances), a group of man-made chemicals that includes PFOA, PFOS, GenX and numerous others. Many know PFAS by its more popular commercial name: Teflon. NYers grew even more familiar with PFAS contamination when the small town of Hoosick Falls, NY, discovered dangerously high levels of the toxic chemical in the town’s drinking water. The story of citizens taking control of the inexcusable position they were put in by polluting industries is all too familiar these days. 

 

Why should we be concerned? PFASs are persistent organic pollutants that have been detected in humans and wildlife worldwide. From epidemiological studies of industrial workers and communities exposed to high levels of these substances, these “Forever Chemicals” accumulate in humans and have been linked to adverse health outcomes, including thyroid disease, high cholesterol levels, kidney cancer, testicular cancer, ulcerative colitis and developmental effects on unborn children. Evidence indicates PFASs affect the immune system, reducing the effectiveness of vaccines, particularly worrisome during the COVID-19 pandemic. Some advocates say there are no safe levels of PFAS exposure.

 

Since the 1950s, 3M and DuPont, the two chemical companies responsible for PFAS production, were increasingly aware of the health impacts of these chemicals but kept the information private even while they came up with more ways to use them. As recently as 2018, the Trump administration and Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) attempted to suppress a study showing that PFASs were more dangerous than previously thought and that many of the contaminated sites are on military bases across the US.

 

The 2019 film Dark Waters tells the true story of Attorney Rob Bilott (portrayed by Mark Ruffalo) as he brings a case against DuPont after they knowingly contaminated a West Virginia town’s water supply with PFASs. 

 

The Sierra Club Atlantic Chapter hosted an online screening of the film this past November, followed by an online panel discussion with Rob Bilott, Laureen Hackett (Hoosick Falls resident and activist), Mark Favors (military veteran, PFAS advocate and nurse on the frontlines of the coronavirus crisis), and Eve Gartner (Managing Attorney for the Toxic Exposure and Health program at Earthjustice). The full panel discussion can be found here. 

 

As discussed on the panel, there’s often a general feeling of “What can I do?” Bilott stressed the need to stop as many of the continued areas of exposure to this chemical as possible, a “turn off the tap” of sorts.

 

The Atlantic Chapter is proud to have advocated for the successful passage of several pieces of legislation that are now law.

 

 

As more and more communities (Rockland County and Mayville, NY, to name two) are discovering PFAS contamination in their drinking water supply — largely due to the new MCL requirement for water testing. The need to address this emerging contamination crisis is imperative. What we do now to protect ourselves will help determine the way this contamination is handled in the future by Governor Cuomo, state agencies and water utilities. It is urgent that the public not only be informed if these dangerous chemicals are in any public water supply, but it is also essential that the burden/cost of testing all rural communities and households with private wells not be placed on the public. 

 

The lack of producer responsibility in the full life cycle of their products is certainly taking its toll. With so many chemicals introduced into the market each year, it is becoming increasingly apparent that the burden of safety needs to be addressed before communities are left with toxic chemicals in tainted water supplies. 

 

The Sierra Club will continue to push for the strongest safeguards against these toxic forever chemicals. Here are a few things you can do to try and limit your household’s exposure to PFAS chemicals.