Charles E. Moon III
There’s a dangerous class of chemicals lurking in our homes and most people aren’t even aware of its presence. PFAS, which stands for per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, can be found in rugs, textiles, dental floss, nonstick cookware, ski wax, household paint, children’s products, anti-fogging sprays and wipes, personal care products, cosmetics, tampons and much more. PFAS are ubiquitous. Humans and the environment are exposed to PFAS through its life-cycle of production, use, and disposal. But at what cost?
PFAS are a group of manufactured chemicals that have been used in industry and consumer products since the 1940s because of their useful properties. There are thousands of different PFAS, but one common trait is that PFAS breaks down very slowly and can build up in people, animals, and the environment over time. Apart from direct exposure to PFAS through everyday household products, PFAS are also found in rivers, lakes, groundwater, air, soil, fish and other wildlife, which then become sources for human exposure. PFAS will never stop threatening our communities and environment if it continues to be used and manufactured.
This April, the Environmental Protection Agency issued its first-ever national limits on these chemicals in drinking water. Under the regulation, utilities will have five years to eradicate any detectable level of certain chemicals within the PFAS family in drinking water. The EPA explained that this action will “prevent thousands of deaths and reduce tens of thousands of serious illnesses”. While this rule is an upgrade to the safety of the nation’s drinking water, it does not protect against coming into contact with PFAS directly in the items we touch and use daily. More must be done by our state legislators to protect New Yorkers’ health.
Indeed there is a growing body of scientific evidence showing that PFAS could have serious health impacts on humans. PFAS exposure may lead to reproductive effects (like decreased fertility or increased high blood pressure in pregnant women); developmental effects in children (like low birth weight, accelerated puberty, or behavioral changes); increased risk of some cancers (including prostate, kidney, and testicular); reduced ability of the body’s immune system to fight infections; hormone interference; and increased cholesterol levels. It’s clear, and only getting clearer, that PFAS should not have a place in the products we use daily.
Let’s take a look at just a handful of research that’s come out in the last six months which illustrate the expanded public health threats of PFAS. A March 2024 paper explains that PFAS exposure could weaken the immune system, which poses a threat not only to an individual’s health, but also the health of the population. A January 2024 study provided evidence that exposures to PFAS during early life are connected to metabolic changes in the human fetus as early as the first trimester. A December 2023 study found that two types of PFAS spurred cancer cells to migrate to new positions — an indication that the chemicals could contribute to the spread of cancer in the body.
With limited time before the current legislative session wraps up in June, New York State lawmakers must pass three bills to limit our PFAS exposure. These bills are PFAS in Consumer and Household Products (A3556C/S5648C), PFAS in Personal Care and Cosmetic Products (A6969/S4265) which will ban PFAS in personal care products, and PFAS in Menstrual Products (A5990/S3529). Our senators and assembly members must heed the science and do all that they can to ensure New Yorkers don’t suffer the health consequences associated with PFAS exposure.
Dr. Charles E. Moon III, MD is chief resident of social pediatrics at the Children’s Hospital at Montefiore in the Bronx, New York. He also serves as co-chair for the Public Policy and Advocacy & Environmental Health and Climate Change Committees in the New York State Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics.
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