Per- and polyfluorinated alkyl substances (known as PFAS) are a large chemical family of over 10,000 highly persistent chemicals that don’t occur in nature.

PFAS are the most persistent synthetic chemicals to date and hence are often called forever chemicals. They hardly degrade in the natural environment and have been found in the blood and breastmilk of people and wildlife all around the world.

PFAS are used in a wide range of consumer products due to their ability to repel both grease and water, including:

• In paper and cardboard food packaging (e.g. takeaway containers, popcorn bags, pizza boxes, ready-made cakes etc.)
• In non-stick cookware such as Teflon
• In textiles (e.g. waterproof outdoor clothing and equipment, carpets, mattresses etc.)
• In cosmetics (e.g. hair conditioner, foundation cream, sunscreen etc.)
• In electronics (e.g. smartphones)

The following is a 53 minute broadcast in the Rare Earth series on BBC Radio 4 dealing with Forever Chemicals. It can be heard either by clicking on the box below or at https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m00290dl.

In this programme, Tom Heap and Helen Czerski look back at the invention of these miracle chemicals, their use in the Second World War and the Space Race. They talk to Robert Bilott, the American lawyer who held the PFAS manufacturers to account, going head to head with the enormous DuPont corporation. Also taking part are Stephanie Metzger of the Royal Society of Chemistry, Hannah Evans from the environmental charity Fidra and by the journalist Leana Hosea of Watershed Investigations.

How harmful are PFAS?

PFAS can be toxic to both humans and wildlife. Two of the most studied chemicals in this family, PFOA and PFOS, have been shown to:

• Interfere with the hormonal system (so they are called endocrine disruptors)
• Interfere with the reproductive system and the development of the foetus
• Impact the immune system and have been linked to reduced responses to vaccines in children
• Promote the development of certain cancers (e.g. kidney and testicular cancer)

Removing PFAS from the environment is extremely challenging, and impossible when it comes to the vast ocean. This, alongside PFAS’ extreme persistence, means that humans and wildlife will continue to be exposed to these chemicals via environmental routes for decades, even if we were to stop emissions of PFAS today.

Further Information

Chem Trust website: https://chemtrust.org/pfas/

UN Environment Programme pages: Persistent organic pollutants (POPs) and Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFASs)

Robert Bilott: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_Bilott

Dark Waters: This feature film dramatizes Robert Bilott’s case against the chemical manufacturing corporation DuPont after they contaminated a town with unregulated chemicals: watch at https://www.imdb.com/title/tt9071322/ and find out more at https://chemtrust.org/dark-waters-and-pfoa-faq/.