Lawmakers and major corporations butt heads over dangerous chemicals in common products: 'Copying the big tobacco playbook'

Chemical manufacturers are pushing British lawmakers to limit bans on "forever chemicals," The Guardian has reported.

What's happening?

Chemical corporations that submitted responses to a United Kingdom government inquiry into per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances — or PFAS — were found to oppose wide-ranging regulations on the class of synthetic compounds also known as "forever chemicals."

These companies want parliamentarians to diverge from proposals being considered in the European Union. That is, they want fluoropolymers, a category of forever chemicals found in cookware coatings and pharmaceutical products, excluded from tougher regulations.

Manufacturers say fluoropolymers don't pose the same risks as other PFAS and therefore should not be regulated in the same manner. Industry groups submitted evidence that they say demonstrates these substances don't accumulate in bodies or habitats the way other forever chemicals do.

Numerous scientists disagree with these claims, while also pointing to the scale of fluoropolymer production. The Guardian cited environmental group Fidra as noting that fluoropolymer production accounted for nearly three-quarters of global PFOA and PFOS pollution between 1950 and 2004.

University of Portsmouth biology professor Alex Ford said, per The Guardian, that the responses from the chemical industry are "copying the big tobacco playbook" in sidestepping the science that demonstrates a range of potential PFAS-related harms.

Why are PFAS concerning?

Researchers have linked PFAS exposure to serious health problems, including certain forms of cancer. And even that is only a part of the problem.

They're called "forever chemicals" due to their indefinite persistence in human bodies and the environment. Combine their lingering nature with their ubiquity, and you've got an exposure issue of great magnitude.

These substances can be found in countless products, from cookware to food packaging, makeup, and even firefighting equipment. Once released, they can pollute water sources, soil systems, and crops.

Sticking around as they do and difficult to clean up, PFAS contamination may impact generations upon generations may be impacted. But the consequences might be measured in numbers other than years too. 

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According to The Guardian, the European Environment Agency stated that medical expenses resulting from PFAS contamination amount to between €52 billion and €84 billion annually across Europe alone. 

What's being done about PFAS?

European regulators are evaluating restrictions that cover all PFAS, which would establish a global precedent. The proposed rules give industries up to 13.5 years to phase out these substances from industries like medicine and green technology.

While consumers await regulatory action at the national and global levels, they may be able to mitigate household exposure by choosing PFAS-free products. Opting for cookware without non-stick coatings, checking cosmetics labels, and leaning away from clothing with water- and stain-resistant treatments when possible may help.

Shopping with PFAS avoidance in mind could protect your health and also communicate to companies that consumer demand is shifting away from forever chemicals. And in addition to supporting policies that limit PFAS production and require effective contamination solutions, community members might also consider organizing local drives for PFAS-free products to help improve equitable access in their own neighborhoods.

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