New study makes disturbing find about wildlife in the UK: 'Whichever organisms we look in, we find them'

Carcinogenic "forever chemicals" known as PFAS are infecting wildlife in the United Kingdom. The analysis — obtained and published by the Guardian, Watershed Investigations, and the Marine Conservation Society — showed that otters, harbor porpoises, and more had high levels of PFAS in their systems.

What's happening?

PFAS, which stands for per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, are entirely human-made. Because they take so long to break down, they've been dubbed "forever chemicals." Definitely not something you want in your body.

But unfortunately, they're everywhere. PFAS pollute waterways around the globe and are found in fish, soil, air, and even home gardens.

Since fish sit toward the bottom of the food chain, they're more likely to spread PFAS up through to predators. There's a certain threshold they need to cross (9 micrograms per kilogram) before they're deemed unsafe. With that number in mind, about half of the fish studied exceeded the limit.

Many experts also believe that number is too low. If you consider the suggested limit — 0.077 micrograms per kilogram — 92% of the fish exceeded it.

U.K. animals up and down the food chain have PFAS in their systems. Professor Alex Ford from the University of Portsmouth told the Guardian, "Whichever organisms we look in, we find them."

What's so bad about PFAS?

For starters, it's not just animals that are affected. Humans are also exposed to the terrifying, multi-generational consequences of PFAS.

According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, PFAS are used in food packaging, household products (think cookware, cleaning products, etc.), and more. The longer you're exposed, the more they build up in your body.

While there's much unknown about the long-term effects, studies show that PFAS can lead to kidney cancer, developmental delays, a weakened immune system, and reproductive issues.

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Dr. Tony Fletcher, at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, told the Guardian that humans and animals react similarly to PFAS, saying, "… the fact that similar effects on the endocrine system and immune system have been shown in animal species as in humans, suggests that to some extent you can read across."

The U.K. wildlife study looks at just one piece of a larger, worldwide problem. According to Mongabay, Fletcher's comments are ringing true for animal species across the world. PFAS have made the hardy American alligator oddly susceptible to diseases and hurt Greenland polar bears' fertility. 

What's being done about it?

Scientists and lawmakers alike are hard at work trying to find solutions. Recently, a team of researchers at the University at Buffalo found bacteria that could break down PFAS. And Maryland lawmakers have proposed a ban on PFAS chemicals altogether.

Given the ubiquity of PFAS, it's hard to keep them out of your life completely. However, you can try to limit your exposure by avoiding non-stick cookware and buying PFAS-free products.

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