Every raindrop has PFAS in it, and ALL The Stuff in Your Home That Contain PFAS 'Forever Chemicals'

TIME: According to tests commissioned by the consumer watchdog site Mamavation and the green group Environmental Health News, a random sampling of 18 popular brands of soft lenses sent to an Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)-certified lab all tested positive for PFAS, short for per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances. Also known as "forever chemicals"—because that's pretty much how long they linger in the environment—these persistent manufacturing chemicals exist in more than 12,000 forms, and have been linked by the EPA to a long list of health effects, including decreased fertility, high blood pressure in pregnant people, increased risk of certain cancers, developmental delays and low birthweight in children, hormonal disruption, high cholesterol, reduced effectiveness of the immune system, and more.

Not any level of PFAS exposure will lead to these health consequences, of course. And even heavy exposure does not necessarily mean that you're going to get sick; putting in your contact lenses every morning is not a sure road to cancer or high cholesterol. But enough of these ills have turned up in enough people exposed to PFAS that the EPA and the larger community of scientists are justifiably worried about them—especially because of their persistence in the environment.

"This entire class of chemicals is probably the most persistent class of manmade chemicals that have ever been made," says Scott Belcher, an associate professor of biological sciences at North Carolina State University, who was a scientific advisor for the contact lens study. "Once they're there, they're not going away."

PFAS are included in uncounted products from clothing to furniture to pizza boxes to food wrappers to cooking utensils to electronics to fire-fighting foam to shoes and much, much more. The chemicals are used to make pots and pans non-stick; textiles more durable and stain resistant; food packaging resistant to grease; shoes and clothing water-resistant; and paper and cardboard stronger, among multiple other uses. So widespread is the planet's PFAS load that, according to one 2022 study in Environmental Science and Technology, the chemicals actually fall from the sky in rain, with the clouds having picked up PFAS in water evaporating from contaminated oceans.

"Every raindrop has PFAS in it," says Belcher. "It is really earth-shaking for me and eye-opening for folks."

For most people, however, everyday life inside their homes is where they're most likely to encounter PFAS on a regular basis. Here is a non-exhaustive list of some personal possessions and parts of your household that are exposing you to forever chemicals:

Body care products including shampoo, dental floss, toilet paper, tampons, and pads

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) lists many brands in these product categories as harboring PFAS, which are added to the products because the chemicals make them more durable, water resistant, or smoother spreading. But those qualities come at a price: some of the products, like dental floss and shampoo, are used in the mouth or near the eyes—mucus membranes that readily absorb contaminants. Multiple brands of both floss and shampoo now advertise themselves as PFAS-free, and the number of such products is growing.

In February, Mamavation and Environmental Health News conducted a study of PFAS in menstrual care products, including tampons, pads, sanitary napkins and period underwear, and found most of them contaminated to one degree or another with the forever chemicals. (Mamavation is not a scientific organization but a self-established wellness site, and Leah Segedie, its founder and editor, is not a scientist, but an author and consumer activist. Still, she conducts her PFAS studies only in conjunction with certified labs.)

In March, a study published in Environmental Science and Technology Letters found PFAS in most brands of toilet paper sold around the world, a huge problem in the U.S. where over 19 billion lbs. of wastepaper are flushed away annually, posing a massive disposal and wastewater contamination problem. (A bidet eliminates the problem of toilet paper almost entirely, though most U.S. households are not equipped with them.)

Read full at time:

https://time.com/6281242/pfas-forever-chemicals-home-beauty-body-products/

EU restricts PFAS in consumer products

Several regulatory actions are being taken to regulate per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in consumer products in the EU. These toxic substances are also known as "forever chemicals" due to their high persistence. Without the ability to degrade, their concentration in the environment will continue to increase. Exposure to these substances can have negative effects on both humans and the environment.

PFASs are a group of about 10,000 mainly man-made substances used in numerous applications in the EU. These applications include textiles, food packaging, lubricants, refrigerants, electronics, construction and many more.

In the EU, some PFAS are already regulated under REACH and POP legislation (see Table 1) and the SVHC list, while other groups are being proposed for restrictions (see Table 2).

he current larger proposals for restriction (see Table 3) will cover a greater number of substances with specific exemptions and different dates of entry into force for specific uses.

PFAS are defined as any substance that contains at least one fully fluorinated methyl (CF3-) or methylene (-CF2-) carbon atom without any H/Cl/Br/I attached to it.

A substance that only contains the following structural elements is excluded from the scope of the proposed restriction: -CF3-X or X-CF2-X', where X = -OR or -NRR' and X' = methyl (-CH3), methylene (-CH2-), an aromatic group, a carbonyl group (-C(O)-), -OR'', -SR'' or –NR''R''', and where R/R'/R''/R''' is a hydrogen (-H), methyl (-CH3), methylene (-CH2-), an aromatic group or a carbonyl group (-C(O)-).

Please read full by Roberta Canciello, senior technical specialist, Retail Consumer Products team, UL Solutions

https://www.ul.com/news/eu-sets-pfas-restrictions-consumer-products

References

Regulation (EU) 2019/1021 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 20 June 2019 on persistent organic pollutants (recast) (Text with EEA relevance)Text with EEA relevance

COMMISSION REGULATION (EU) 2021/1297 of 4 August 2021 amending Annex XVII to Regulation (EC) No 1907/2006 of the European Parliament and of the Council as regards perfluorocarboxylic acids containing 9 to 14 carbon atoms in the chain (C9-C14 PFCAs), their salts and C9-C14 PFCA-related substances

Persistent organic pollutants – perfluorohexane sulfonic acid (PFHxS)

Registry of restriction intentions until outcome

Fatal fall rate more than doubled in about two decades

Based on death certificate data compiled by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the research found that fatal falls in this age group had increased from 10,097 in 1999, and at a rate that more than doubled in about two decades — from 29 deaths per 100,000 people to 69 deaths per 100,000 people, according to research published in the journal JAMA.

The research notes that falls have become the leading cause of injury for the age group. More than 1 in 4 people 65 or older fall each year, according to the CDC (although the agency says less than half tell their doctor). About 1 in 5 falls results in a serious injury, such as broken bones or a head injury, and 3 million older adults are treated in emergency rooms each year because of falls.

Please read full from source:

https://www.washingtonpost.com/wellness/2023/05/22/fatal-falls-older-americans/

U.S. States Regulate PFAS in Consumer Products

UL - In the United States, due to the lack of federal regulations banning the use of PFAS in consumer products, many state legislatures are acting to mitigate the use of these chemicals in various consumer products. Several states have already adopted policies that prohibit the intentional addition of PFAS in various consumer products, including but not limited to cosmetics, juvenile products, food packaging, cookware, rugs and carpets, fabric treatments, indoor and outdoor upholstered furniture, apparel, textiles and more. The state of Maine Chapter 477 Public Law will prohibit the use of intentionally added PFAS in any product be sold, offered for sale, or distributed for sale in the state effective Jan. 1, 2030.

Product manufacturers are responsible for ensuring compliance with regulatory requirements. But as the focus on PFAS in the U.S. intensifies, and states adopt policies that may not be consistent with one another, manufacturers may find it challenging to determine compliance. Therefore, relevant enterprises should understand these requirements as early as possible and investigate the presence of PFAS in their products. Manufacturers must know what chemicals are being added to their products.

Please read full from UL

https://www.ul.com/news/us-states-regulate-pfas-consumer-products

U.S. EPA Proposes Greenhouse Gas Emissions Limitations for New and Existing Electric Generating Units

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency ("EPA") yesterday announced a proposed rule to limit greenhouse gas ("GHG") emissions from electric generating units ("EGUs"). The proposal seeks to drastically reduce emissions of GHG and conventional emissions while promoting the use of carbon capture and sequestration ("CCS") and hydrogen co-firing technologies. This proposed rule is part of the Biden Administration's larger regulatory effort to transition the American economy toward "low carbon" technology.

The proposed rule treats new EGUs differently based on level of output and targets certain existing fossil-fuel-fired combustion turbines (both simple cycle and combined cycle).

The proposed rule contains three primary parts: (1) strengthening CO2 standards for new gas-fired combustion turbines, based on three new categories; (2) providing emissions guidelines for existing gas plants that have a capacity of 300 MW and operate at a more than 50 percent capacity factor; and (3) covering existing steam generation units—mostly coal—by requiring those EGUs to choose between new control technologies or retirement.

Consistent with Clean Air Act Section 111, the proposed New Source Performance Standards and emissions guidelines "reflect the application of the best system of emissions reduction [("BSER")] that, taking into account costs, energy requirements, and other statutory factors, is adequately demonstrated." To this end, the EPA's newly proposed rule also seeks to repeal the Affordable Clean Energy ("ACE") Rule, stating, among other rationales, that the BSER therein are no longer appropriate for existing coal-fired EGUs.

The proposed rule would create different standards based on three categories of new gas EGUs and enhance standards for certain existing gas EGUs.

New and Reconstructed Fossil-Fuel-Fired Stationary Combustion Turbines:  EPA proposes three subcategories for new gas plants, based on how heavily a plant is used. For new low-load "peaker" units—defined as operating at below 20 percent capacity factor—EPA proposes as BSER the use of a "lower-emitting fuel," such as natural gas or distillate oil.

For new intermediate load units—defined as operating at between a 20 and 50 percent capacity factor—EPA proposes a phased standard. The first phase establishes as BSER the performance of a highly efficient combustion turbine. The second phase establishes BSER as co-firing 30 percent (by volume) of "low-GHG" hydrogen by 2032 and 90 percent by 2035. The second phase requires continued use of highly efficient generation. The EPA is soliciting comments as to whether intermediate-load units should be subject to a more stringent third phase that would require higher levels of hydrogen co-firing by 2038.

For new baseload combustion turbines—defined as operating at above a 50 percent capacity factor—EPA proposes as BSER one of two pathways, either co-firing with "low-GHG" hydrogen starting at 30 percent in 2032 and ramping up to 96 percent by 2038, or by achieving a 90 percent CCS rate by 2035.

Existing Fossil-Fuel-Fired Stationary Combustion Turbines:  EPA's proposed standards for existing gas plants would only apply to existing EGUs with a 300 MW capacity and at least a 50 percent capacity factor. BSER for these units is based on either the use of CCS by 2035 or co-firing 30 percent (by volume) low-GHG hydrogen by 2032 and co-firing 96 percent low-GHG hydrogen by 2038. The proposed rule does not purport to set new standards for smaller or less frequently used existing gas plants.

The proposed rule requires existing coal-fired EGUs to choose between new control technology or retirement.

EPA relies heavily on CCS and the co-firing of "lower-emitting" fuels to address existing coal-fired generation. The proposed rule would allow operators of existing coal-fired EGUs to forego installation of CCS or certain other emissions control technologies if they commit to near-term retirement of their facilities. The proposed rule would not require any reductions for coal plants closing before 2032, or for plants that commit to retire before 2035 and have a less than 20 percent capacity factor. Existing coal plants that remain online longer than the applicable 2032 or 2035 deadline, but still intend to retire before 2040, may co-fire with natural gas to avoid CCS or other control equipment requirements. Those coal plants intending to remain online through 2040 and beyond must be modified to curb their emissions by 88.4 percent, a level based on achieving 90 percent carbon capture and storage by 2030. This regulatory scheme reflects EPA's view that it is most efficient to deploy CCS technology with EGUs that will operate over a longer period.

Please read full at Michael Best & Friedrich LLP:

https://www.michaelbest.com/Newsroom/313703/US-EPA-Proposes-Greenhouse-Gas-Emissions-Limitations-for-New-and-Existing-Electric-Generating-Units

High Levels Of Toxic Metals Found In Widely Consumed Drinks: Study

A new study has found that some commonly consumed beverages such as fruit juice and artificial soda contain levels of toxic metals including arsenic, cadmium, and lead that exceed federal drinking water standards.

Researchers from Tulane University, Louisiana, measured 25 different toxic metals and trace elements in 60 soft beverages, including single fruit juice, mixed fruit juice, plant-based milk, artificial soda, and tea.

The drinks were purchased in New Orleans and are commercially available in supermarkets across the United States.

Researchers found that five of the 60 beverages tested contained levels of a toxic metal above federal drinking water standards.

Two mixed juices had levels of arsenic above the 10 microgram/liter standard. Meanwhile, a cranberry juice, a mixed carrot and fruit juice, and an oat milk each had levels of cadmium exceeding the three parts per billion standard.

Fruit Juices, Plant-Based Milks Contain Higher Levels

In total, 7 of the 25 elements measured by researchers in their study exceeded drinking water standards in some of the drinks, including nickel, manganese, boron, cadmium, strontium, arsenic, and selenium, while lead was detected in more than 93 percent of the 60 samples, although the majority contained levels below one part per billion.

The highest level (6.3 micrograms/kg) was found in a lime sports drink, though that is still below standards for drinking water set by the EPA and the World Health Organization.

Overall, mixed fruit juices and plant-based milks, including oat and almond milk, contained higher levels of toxic metals than other drinks analyzed in the study, researchers said.

Researchers did not identify the specific brands they studied but noted that they can be purchased at local supermarkets and retail stores.

The findings of the study, titled, "Toxic metals and essential elements contents in commercially available fruit juices and other non-alcoholic beverages from the United States," were published in the Journal of Food Composition and Analysis.

Read more here...

New PFAS Fish Consumption Advisory For Green Bay And Associated Tributaries

The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) and the Department of Health Services (DHS) today announced a new PFAS-based consumption advisory for the Bay of Green Bay and its tributaries.

Elevated levels of perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS), a type of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), were detected in rainbow smelt sampled from Green Bay. As a result, the DNR and DHS recommend consuming only one meal per week of rainbow smelt from the Bay of Green Bay and its associated tributaries up to the first dam, including portions of the Peshtigo, Oconto and Menominee rivers.

"Eating locally caught fish is a cost-effective way to feed your family a lean, healthy protein. This advisory, like our long-standing mercury and polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) advisories, is another way to ensure our anglers who eat their catch are provided with the right information to consume fish safely," said Lori Tate, Fisheries Management Section Supervisor.

PFAS are a group of human-made chemicals that have been used for decades in various products, such as non-stick cookware, fast food wrappers, stain-resistant sprays and certain types of firefighting foams that have made their way into the environment.

Health risks may increase when fish with high levels of PFAS are consumed more frequently than recommended. These can include increased cholesterol levels, decreased immune response, decreased fertility in women, and cancers, among other health effects. More information is available on the DHS website.

Following fish consumption advisories will help protect you from consuming excess PFOS, PCBs and mercury. A complete list of up-to-date consumption advisories can be found in the DNR's Choose Wisely booklet.

Additional fish consumption advice and information on the effects of PFAS can be found on the DNR's website.