While the presence of PFAS, also known as “eternal pollutants”is increasingly documented, a bill aimed at banning them in four families of consumer products is being examined in the National Assembly this Thursday, April 4, 2024. But what are these per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, in which products are they found and what are the health risks?
Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS): what are their definitions and where are they found?
As explained by the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes Regional Health Agency, per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, which we know under the term PFAS, “are a large family of more than 4,000 chemical compounds”. The latter are persistent in the environment, that is, they decompose very slowly and accumulate in the environment and human tissues.
After being used for coating tanks during the Second World War, the use of PFAS declined in industry. These synthetic chemicals are then found in the composition of a wide range of consumer products for their many uses. In fact, they are used for their non-stick properties, but also waterproofing and for their resistance to high heat. Manufacturers use them in the manufacture of products such as:
But the presence of these eternal pollutants is not limited only to industrial products and also contaminates the environment.
PFAS: what are the sources of contamination?
As ANSES points out, the massive use of PFAS “leads pollution from all walks of life: water, air, soil or even sediments”. Additionally, some PFAS “accumulate in living organisms, plants and animals, and are found in the food chain”. In February 2023, the international collaborative survey “Forever Pollution Project” published a map showing “for the first time the extent of contamination of Europe by per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS)”.
On its website, ANSES lists products that could contain PFAS and be a source of contamination:
- seafood products,
- eggs, meats
- drinking water can be a source of contamination,
- indoor and outdoor air,
- dust,
- contaminated soils.
What are the health effects of PFAS?
“Scientific work on certain known PFAS shows that they can have deleterious effects on humans,” notes ANSES. As the European Environment Agency explains, PFAS accumulates in humans, animals and the environment, increasing the amount of chemicals to which it is possible to be exposed. “Among the few well-studied PFAS, most are considered moderately to highly toxic, particularly to children’s development”they write.
As indicated by the European Environment Agency, other identified health risks are:
Sources:
- PFAS: very persistent chemical substances – Anses
- PFAS, what you need to know – ARS Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes
- Emerging chemical risks in Europe — ‘PFAS’ – European Environment Agency
- “Eternal pollutants”: explore the map of Europe of PFAS contamination – Le Monde (02/23/2023)