Forever Chemicals - should we be worried?

The term “forever chemicals” was first coined in 2018. This refers to a group of man made chemicals called PFAS which do not break down easily and will persist in the environment for decades.

There are now more than 15,000 variants of these chemicals and they have unique waterproof, durability and heat resistant qualities. Forever chemicals are used for applications such as non-stick pans, grease resistant containers, stain resistant clothing, outdoor clothing, nappies, period products, carpets, pesticides, paint, cosmetics, dental floss and a whole range of personal care products.

Concerns about two specific forever chemicals (PFOA used for Teflon and PFOS used for Scotchgard) started to emerge in 1999 when stories started to circulate about contamination around the DuPont plant in Parkersburg, West Virginia. DuPont made every effort to cover this up but the company was eventually taken to court and had to pay significant damages and clean up costs..The story is documented in the film Dark Waters starring Mark Ruffalo.

These early chemicals were linked to kidney cancer, testicular cancer, thyroid disease, high cholesterol, ulcerative colitis, and pregnancy-induced hypertension. These specific chemicals have now been withdrawn from use but have been replaced by a whole new generation of forever chemicals.

The remarkable thing about these PFAS chemicals is how they have spread around the environment. The chemicals are in our rivers, seas, soils, drinking water and rainwater. The chemicals are in animals all over the world and the higher up the food chain the higher concentrations. It is estimated that 98% of humans on the planet have traces of forever chemicals even in remote areas like the Faroe Islands. Studies have also shown that forever chemicals are transferred between generations by breast feeding.

It is fairly clear that any significant concentrations of the early forever chemicals have an impairing impact on the immune system. The concentrations of these phased out forever chemicals are now beginning to decline. However, the accumulation of the newer alternatives is growing and we really don’t know much about them.

There is no doubt forever chemicals are useful but it feels like a mass experiment is going on and it's almost impossible to avoid being a participant.The regulation regime is weak and the Royal Society of Chemistry has called for much stricter regulation. Lets hope this comes about sooner rather than later.