Safer Chemicals, Healthy Families

A national effort to protect families from toxic chemicals.

Get the Facts: PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances)

PFAS, or per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, are thousands of chemicals belonging to a single chemical class. PFOA, PFOS, and GenX are PFAS that have become notorious drinking water contaminants as a result of industrial releases and use of firefighting foam. But PFAS may also be used in a wide range of products, from food packaging to stain-resistant furniture, and our exposure comes from multiple sources and routes.

With their remarkable persistence and mobility—they are not known to break down in the environment and they move through soil to drinking water—PFAS have become global pollutants that threaten the health of people and wildlife. Because of this, many scientists refer to them as “forever chemicals.”

On this page:

What products contain PFAS?

Many products may be made with these compounds, including:

  • paper packaging, such as microwave popcorn bags and takeout packaging, including wrappers, bags, bowls (like the one pictured above), and other containers
  • stain-resistant carpets, rugs, and furniture;
  • sprayable stain protectors;
  • non-stick cookware;
  • outdoor gear with a “durable water repellent” coating;
  • aerospace, medical, and automotive applications; and
  • many specialty items such as firefighting foams, ski wax, and industrial applications.

How am I exposed?

We are exposed to PFAS from food, from indoor air and dust, and in many cases, from drinking water. Food, air, and water have become contaminated globally as a result of manufacturing releases and use of PFAS-containing products.

  • Food: PFAS can build up in crops, fish, and livestock, ultimately contaminating the food we eat. In addition, when PFAS are used in food packaging, such as bags, sandwich wrappers and takeout containers, they can migrate to our food.
  • Indoor air and dust: When PFAS are used in products such as stain-proofing for furniture and carpets or waterproofing for clothing, these items become “PFAS factories,” releasing the chemicals over time into air and dust.
  • Home and workplace products: PFAS use in cleaners, personal care products, and specialty products such as ski wax can lead to direct exposure from product use.

Why should I be concerned?

PFAS are extremely persistent in the environment and some of them build up in people and animals. They can migrate out of consumer products into household dust and air, are released by industries, and contaminate drinking water and food. Once they are in our bodies, they stick around—with half-lives in people of up to eight years. Nearly every U.S. resident has PFAS in his or her body, with biomonitoring studies finding PFAS in blood, breast milk, umbilical cord blood, amniotic fluid, placenta, and other tissues.

Exposure to these compounds has been linked to a number of health concerns:

  • Cancer: PFAS induce tumors in laboratory animals, and the International Agency for Research on Cancer has designated PFOA as a possible carcinogen based on epidemiological evidence linking exposure to kidney and testicular cancer.
  • Hormone disruption: laboratory tests indicate numerous PFAS affect hormone production and response, with effects on estrogen production and response, thyroid hormone signaling, and on receptors involved in regulation of fat metabolism. People exposed to higher levels of PFAS have higher total and LDL cholesterol.
  • Liver and kidney toxicity: PFAS are associated with multiple effects on liver and kidney, including liver lesions, kidney degeneration, and damage to liver function.
  • Harm to the immune system: research has identified the immune system as sensitive to PFAS in both laboratory and epidemiological studies. A 2012 study of 587 children found those with greater exposure to PFAS had significantly poorer responses to vaccines.
  • Reproductive and developmental toxicity: Laboratory tests associated PFAS exposure with decreased survival of young, disrupted reproductive cycles, and impaired growth of the uterus and ovaries. In addition, a number of large epidemiological studies have related higher maternal exposure to PFAS to lower birth weight. A study published in April 2020 reported that PFAS exposure from drinking contaminated water was associated with a higher chance of low birth weight, pre-term birth, and lowered general fertility, and that the differences moderated after PFAS was filtered from the water, providing evidence of a causal link between PFAS and reproductive impacts.

What can government and industry do?

PFAS have been produced, used, and disposed of essentially without regulation for the last half-century, but federal, state, and local governments have begun to take action.

  • In 2018, Congress passed the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Reauthorization Act with an amendment to allow commercial aircraft manufacturers and the 533 U.S. commercial airports to opt out of using PFAS-containing foam by 2021.
  • In 2018, the Washington State Legislature passed two new laws, banning PFAS in food packaging and banning sales of PFAS-containing firefighting foam, and New York adopted a procurement policy requiring food service containers and wrappers bought by the state to be free of intentionally added PFAS. In 2019, Maine passed a law banning PFAS and other chemicals in food packaging and Colorado passed a law that bans sales of PFAS-containing firefighting foam.
  • Washington State published an interim Chemical Action Plan in 2018 and is continuing a process to address all sources of PFAS exposure. In 2019, the Washington State Legislature passed The Pollution Prevention for Our Future Act, giving the state authority to regulate chemicals, including all PFAS, in consumer products beyond food packaging and firefighting foam.
  • San Francisco passed an ordinance in 2018 banning PFAS in food packaging, and Berkeley enacted a similar measure in 2019.
  • Many manufacturers are successfully producing alternatives to PFAS in food packaging, firefighting foam, and other products.
  • As of January 2020, the Biodegradable Products Institute and the Compost Manufacturing Alliance, which certify items as compostable, prohibit any intentionally added fluorinated chemicals or levels of these chemicals above 100 ppm in the products they certify.
  • Several states, including New Jersey, Minnesota, and Michigan, have set drinking water standards to protect residents from PFAS in water.

For more information about state policies, click here: http://www.saferstates.com/bill-tracker/

State and local governments should continue to take the lead in passing policies to restrict PFAS. Congress should take action to eliminate the sources of PFAS that end up in the environment, including the military’s use of PFAS-containing firefighting foam. In addition, manufacturers and retailers should establish chemicals policies that eliminate PFAS in products they produce and sell, replacing them with safer alternatives.

How can I reduce my exposure?

  • Watch out for packaged foods. Stay away from greasy or oily packaged and fast foods in paper packaging, as the packages often contain grease-repellent coatings. PFAS can also be used to impart water resistance to food packaging. Examples of items likely treated with PFAS include microwave popcorn bags, takeout containers and other packaging from grocery stores or fast-casual restaurants, and fast-food wrappers and bags.
  • Avoid stain-resistance treatments. Avoid furniture and carpets that are marketed as “stain-resistant,” and don’t apply stain resistant finishing treatments to these or other items. Where possible, choose alternatives to clothing that has been treated for water or stain resistance, such as outerwear and sportswear, unless it is clearly guaranteed to be free of all PFAS. Other products that may be treated include shoes, luggage, and camping and sporting equipment.
  • Check your personal-care products. Avoid personal-care products made with Teflon™ or containing ingredients that include the words “fluoro” or “perfluoro.” PFAS has been found in dental floss and a variety of cosmetics, including nail polish, facial moisturizers, and eye make-up. Visit MADE SAFE’s website to view products that have been certified as free of PFAS and other toxic chemicals.
  • Avoid Teflon™ or non-stick cookware. If you choose to continue using non-stick cookware, be careful not to let it heat to above 450ºF. Do not leave non-stick cookware unattended on the stove or use non-stick cookware in hot ovens or grills. Discard products if non-stick coatings show signs of deterioration.

This webpage draws on resources from Toxic-Free Future. We greatly appreciate their assistance.

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