Why Are They Called ‘Forever Chemicals,’ and Other Things to Know About PFAS
By Dharna Noor | July 7, 2022 | The Boston Globe
Residents of rural Central Massachusetts were shocked to learn that a composting facility likely spread toxic ‘forever chemicals’ known as PFAS into their drinking water, according to state officials.
They’re not alone. The state has identified dangerous levels of the compounds in 84 community water systems across the Commonwealth.
The chemicals have been linked to a slew of health problems, even in tiny quantities.
Here’s what you need to know about PFAS.
What are PFAS?
The term PFAS refers to a class of manmade per- and polyfluoroalkyl compounds that have been around since the 1940s. Since they resist heat, oil, stains, grease, and water, manufacturers use them in everything from cosmetics and cookware to yoga pants and firefighting foam. They’re also used to construct airports and military installations.
“PFAS is virtually everywhere,” said Carol Gregory, senior vice president of communications and marketing at Boston-based Conservation Law Foundation.
PFAS earned the alarming nickname “forever chemicals” because they don’t break down easily in the environment. Due to their chemical makeup, they can stay intact for thousands of years.
“When it is dumped, it stays there,” said Kyla Bennett, director of Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility in New England.
That’s a huge problem for human health, because PFAS are highly toxic. Scientists have linked them to high cholesterol, hormone disruption, immune deficiency, and several cancers.
Even mind-bogglingly small quantities of the compounds are dangerous, compared to many other toxic substances. According to the Environmental Protection Agency, drinking water with arsenic concentrations of more than 10 parts per billion is unsafe. But last month, when the agency announced new drinking water advisories for the four most notorious forms of PFAS, they measured unsafe concentrations of the compounds in parts per quadrillion.
How do PFAS spread?
Due to their persistence and widespread use, PFAS are ubiquitous.
“There are already 2,854 locations in the United States where there are known contamination sources,” said Judith Enck, former Environmental Protection Agency regional administrator and founder of advocacy group Beyond Plastics.
One 2020 study found PFAS in the bloodstreams of 99 percent of people tested.
The compounds can spread through the air or by ingesting contaminated food. But the “predominant” form of exposure is through drinking water, said Enck.
PFAS has been found in the drinking water of 80 million Americans, and Massachusetts is no exception. A 2021 Sierra Club analysis of statewide public water systems estimated that 70 percent of communities have detectable levels of the six most dangerous PFAS chemicals in their ground and surface water.
