EcoHomeLife Explains is our series of short articles that explains terms and concepts around sustainability. In this edition we dive into the question: are forever chemicals harmful?
Whether you are looking at eco-friendly make-up, personal care products or cleaning products, sooner or later you will encounter forever chemicals.
Their actual name is Perfluoroalkyl and Polyfluoralkyl Substances (PFAS). They are a large group of synthetic chemicals that are found in pretty much everything.
While incredibly useful and versatile, PFAS don’t break down, or if so, only very slowly. That’s why they are called forever chemicals, as they remain in the environment practically forever.
But are forever chemicals harmful? Yes they are, and here is why…
Forever Chemicals Don’t Break Down
One of the biggest concerns about PFAS is that they don’t break down or only very very slowly.
While the chemistry of these forever chemicals is rather complicated, they all contain two elements: carbon and fluorine.
Different types of PFAS might also contain other elements in their chain depending on what they are used for.
The combination of these two makes PFAS so strong and is the reason they don’t degrade easily, if at all.
As a result they will stay in the environment forever, or at least for a very long time.
This means that they will accumulate over time, increasing their impact on plants and wildlife. Because they are used in so many products, there are numerous ways how they get into our environment.
PFAS have been found in soil, seawater, groundwater and even drinking water. Various studies have found these chemicals in different animal species as well as in the human body.
Forever chemicals pollution is already happening, but unless their use is stopped immediately, it will just get worse.
There aren’t many studies about the actual impact of the presence of these chemicals in our environment on plants and wildlife. However, a study from 2014 has concluded that the mixture of different PFAS and the increased exposure could lead to toxicity and harm aquatic life.
So the fact that they don’t break down means that we have to answer our question ‘are forever chemicals harmful?’ with yes.
Forever Chemicals Are Toxic
While we don’t know exactly what harm these forever chemicals will cause in our environment, we do know that many PFAS are toxic.
They have been linked to health issues in humans, including endocrine disruption, reproductive problems, low birth weight in babies and cancer.
So there is growing scientific evidence that PFAS are harmful for us and the environment. This has prompted the EU to look at banning the use of these forever chemicals, unless their use is essential.
If they are toxic for us, then the likelihood is that they are also toxic for the environment. We know that endocrine disruptors don’t just affect humans but also animals.
If a substance is linked to causing cancer in humans, then it will also cause cancer in animals.
Even small amounts of certain PFAS can be harmful. But because they don’t degrade easily, they accumulate in the environment.
Even those forever chemicals that are not classed as toxic in small amounts, will over time become toxic as the amounts increase due to bioaccumulation.
So PFAS are toxic, which means that forever chemicals are harmful.
Why Are PFAS Still Used?
Now that we can clearly answer our question “are forever chemicals harmful?” with yes, you might wonder, why are they still used?
This is a very good question and one that we have asked too. After all, if they are so harmful to us and the planet, why aren’t they banned?
In the 1940s, when the first PFAS were created, there weren’t any restrictions or regulations in terms of the safety of chemicals.
It’s only later that safety regulations for chemicals have come in. PFAS have generally been seen as non-toxic in the past.
The number of these PFAS has also grown rapidly since they were first created, with over 4,7000 in use today. The sheer number makes it difficult to regulate them.
While some are heavily restricted or banned, many are still free to be used, despite growing evidence that they might be equally harmful.
So that they need regulating is certain, with many studies and industry bodies, such as the Royal Society of Chemistry, calling for urgent regulation.
The EU has started to look into the regulation of PFAS and is planning to regulate or even ban many of them from being used.
But there is a lot of pushback from the manufacturing industry and so far lobbying efforts from the industry have kept most regulatory efforts for all PFAS at bay.
These forever chemicals are used in so many different everyday products, such as non-stick pans, cosmetics, clothing, carpets, food packaging and many other common items.
Can You Avoid Forever Chemicals?
Now that you know that forever chemicals are harmful and toxic, you might wonder how you can avoid them?
If like us, you want to live a more sustainable life, then not adding more of these forever chemicals into our environment is an important part, in our opinion.
But because these PFAS are used in so many items, it is rather difficult to avoid them. Especially, because there are over thousands of chemicals that belong to this group and they are used in pretty much everything.
However, there are things you can do. We know that they are used in non-stick cookware, so avoid using them. Or look for cookware that doesn’t contain PFAS. Cook from scratch, as read-meal food containers also contain forever chemicals.
Most water-proof and water-repellent clothing contain them too. Look out for ones that state that they are PFAS-free.
Seeking out products that are PFAS-free is probably the quickest way to avoid these nasty and toxic chemicals. You can spot them on labels of various products, such as shampoos, cosmetics, household cleaners and varnishes by looking for chemicals with “-fluoro”, “-perfluor” or PTFE in the names.
These are some indicators for PFAS. Try to look for companies that state that their products don’t contain harmful or toxic chemicals.
It’s probably not possible to avoid PFAS completely, because they are used in so many products. But with the above tips you can at least reduce the amount products containing them you use.
