What's being done about "Forever Chemicals?"

Written By: Atanu Das on Sunday, April 5, 2020

These chemicals, known formerly as poly- and perfluroalkyl substances or PFAS have been so widely manufactured to produce consumer products they are present in all water sources and in the blood stream of people from all over the globe.

PFAS chemicals don't readily degrade in the environment and have been used for their water repellent properties, in firefighting foams and as non-stick coatings for frying pans and pots. These are only just a few of the many uses of these chemicals and at last count the OECD Global Database has listed over 4700 PFAS substances in this category.

Originally discovered and widely used since the 1940s, here is an infographic of how they are known to affect your health:

The European Chemical Agency has been taking the lead on limiting and replacing PFAS chemicals in the supply chain. As part of REACH and other chemical regulations, the use of some of these substances has already been restricted and studies are being conducted on fire extinguishing agents and textiles to determine the health and other toxicity concerns. Since 2014, ECHA has expedited assessments of the substances by reviewing these in groups rather than one by one and has already identified more than 2000 chemicals of concern. 

For more information on these chemicals, follow the ECHA link.