PFAS are preservatives used in a variety of products, including firefighting foam, carpets, and shoes. There is media attention around the chemical’s adverse health effects as well as countries working to implement laws and regulations such as Australia, which plans to phase out its use for food packaging by 2020. Here’s a breakdown of some of the symptoms associated with PFAS health effects and how long the chemicals remain at dangerous levels.
PFAS Health Risks: What Are They?
PFASs are created when chemical companies process or manufacture products that contain heavy metals, including PFASs. PFASs have been linked to health problems, including reproductive and developmental issues, cancer, and neurological disabilities. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has said that people who have high levels of PFAS in their blood may be at an increased risk for certain diseases.
People can be exposed to PFASs through air, food, water, and soil. Air pollution from military installations that have used PFASs has also been linked to health problems in nearby communities. Many manufacturing plants that use PFASs have closed since the chemicals were identified as a hazard. The main way people are likely to be exposed to PFAS is through their diet. Levels of PFASs in food have decreased since the chemicals were identified as a hazard, but some items still contain high levels of these chemicals.
A growing number of states are working to regulate PFAS because of the health risks they pose. At least 33 states have laws or regulations in place that concern PFAS contamination. The states are working to find ways to reduce the amount of these chemicals in the environment and protect people’s health. The states plan to share information about the PRPs, discuss different approaches they are taking, and work together to control PFAS contamination in their states.
And with all the negative publicity preceding General Mills’ announcement that it will remove PFOA from its products, perhaps we can get a bit of good not too late? When companies are taking measures like these and following research findings, it does add some much-needed backbone and protection for consumers – but only if more steps are taken urgently to ensure that the effects of exposure are lessened. Greenpeace Executive Director Phil Radford said: “There’s no doubt about it—the threat posed by water contaminated with PFAS chemicals is real.”
Causes of Long-Term Exposure
PFASs are a type of chemical that is used in many products, such as Teflon and firefighting foam. Scientists have found that people can be exposed to PFAS for a long time without getting sick. The health effects of long-term exposure to PFASs are still largely unknown. However, scientists think that the health risks of PFASs may depend on how much PFASs people are exposed to and how often they are exposed.
Symptoms of Low Levels of PFAS
Most people are not aware of the health risks associated with long-term exposure to PFAS contamination. Unfortunately, PFAS can bioaccumulate in the environment and eventually enter the human body. Long-term exposure to these chemicals has been related to adverse health consequences, including cancer, liver dysfunction, and infertility. And if you have been exposed to these chemicals, you should be aware of your legal rights to file a pfas water contamination lawsuit.
So how do you know if you are exposed to PFAS? The government has set health advisory limits for certain types of PFAS in food packaging and other products, but these levels are still far too high for most people. In addition, many people are also exposed to these chemicals through their daily lives, from water sources and ovens to personal care products like shampoo and conditioner.
If you are concerned about your exposure to PFAS and would like more information, there are a few things you can do:
1) Talk to your doctor – Your doctor can help you determine if you have been exposed to PFAS and recommend ways to reduce your exposure.
2) Check the government health advisory limits – To see if you’re at risk, you can check the government health advisory limits for certain types of PFAS found in food packaging and other products. These levels are similar to the EPA’s targets and are primarily used by communities.
3) Speak with your activist organizations – If you have concerns about PFAS, enlist the HPCA’s help. The health professionals who care for us in our home and schools cannot promise clean water, air or healthy foods without you taking action!
4) Talk to your elected representatives – Go to a town hall in your state, call the office of a member of Congress and offer them your concerns.
5) Ask companies to follow OSHA recommended limits – We’re asking that the FDA set tighter limits for polyfluorinated compounds and encourage manufacturers to follow current EPA emission regulations. Contacting government leaders will expedite the process.
6) Talk to your press contacts – Your local newspaper publishes an array of stories on the latest developments in the PFAS crisis. In addition, you can contact trade associations or associations representing chemical-makers, especially in bioplastics, printing coatings, and agriculture sectors with serious chemical production or use hazards under their purview , like EWG has done already.
Pfas in Drinking Water: Main Sources and Trends
This blog section will be dedicated to discussing the role that Pfas have played in drinking water around the world and the main sources of these chemicals. In addition, we will also discuss some of the trends currently happening with Pfas in drinking water supplies. However, first a little bit more on the chemistry of PFASs, which is important to fully understand what they mean when one talks about them being in our drinking water. The words and chemical name “PFC” is used to refer to various compounds that are primarily made from fluoropolymers but can be derived from other compounds as well. The most common types include FC-28 (paragraph 18 comment 1).
The chemistry of these chemicals is called fluoring; this original reaction has been known for several decades. It involves the reaction of certain formaldehyde polymer with various metals such as: magnesium, vanadium, and zinc; this particular reaction does not take place easily.
