Non-polymer PFAS can build up in blood protein of animals, and is not always removed quickly. This means that predators eating PFAS-contaminated food will have higher levels in their bloodstream, and concentrations can increase up the food chain. Studies suggest that build up of PFAS is similar to those of other Persistent Organic Pollutants such as DDT.PFAS are estimated to be settling in arctic regions at rates of tens to hundreds of kilograms per year (25-850kg per year), depending on the specific PFAS chemical in question. Certain PFAS are released as gases to the environment and are blown a long way by wind and air currents in the atmosphere,. These gas PFAS will over time degrade to more persistent chemicals like PFOS and PFOA. This may be one reason why PFAS of environmental concern have been found in remote regions such as the Arctic as well as near PFAS production sitesPFAS including PFOS and PFOA have been found in air samples around Europe. The chemicals are found in small quantities, but appear in almost all samples tested. PFAS enters the atmosphere both from factories and the air inside our homes. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17554424 PFAS is found in treated waste water from industrial and domestic sources and has been found in both rivers and groundwater. Conventional drinking water processes will not remove PFAS.PFAS-coated clothes that are thrown away will often end up either incinerated or in landfill. Unless incinerated at very high temperatures (>1000oC), fluorinated polymers could release more harmful PFAS during burning. PFAS of environmental concern have also been found in landfill leachate. Non-polymer PFAS are used in the production of fluorinated polymers. The manufacture of stain-resistant finishes generally releases these PFASs into the environment, both by air and water emissions. They are very hard to remove during water treatment. Workers in textiles factories are some of the population most exposed to these potentially harmful chemicals. Small quantities of PFAS will be removed during wash and wear of products containing PFAS. This includes fluorinated polymers used on stain-resistant coatings, and non-polymers that remain on clothes after production (Lassen et al. 2015).Most UK waste still ends up in landfill, and this includes PFAS-containing products. Studies have shown that the liquid coming from landfills (known as leachate) often contain non-polymer PFAS chemicals. In the USA the total quantities were estimated at 563-638 kg in 2013. To properly break down PFAS chemicals high temperature (1000oC or more) incineration is recommended. Incineration of municipal waste does not necessarily reach these temperatures (min temp. required is 850oC), and the incomplete breakdown could release non-polymer PFAS.Wash and wear of clothing that contains PFAS-based stain-resistant or water repellent finishes release PFAS to the environment. Coatings are thought to lose effectiveness after 20-30 washes. This can include non-polymer PFAS, remnant from production or as a break-down product of side-chain polymers (Lassen et al. 2015). The manufacture of stain-resistant finishes releases PFAS into the environment, both by air and water emissions. PFAS are very hard to remove during water treatment. Industrial emissions are estimated to be the biggest source of these chemicals to the environment.

What are PFAS?

PFAS, also known as the ‘forever chemicals’, are a group of over 10,000 industrial substances [1] associated with significant health and environmental concerns.

PFAS are widely used in society for their water, heat, and stain-resistant properties but come with some hidden costs. These forever chemicals can disrupt biological processes, meaning they can be toxic to many species, including humans. Worse still, these chemicals don’t breakdown in the environment, meaning they have been building up around us for years, posing long-term risks to our health and the planet.

Environmental Impacts
Health Impacts
The Solution

PFAS are all around us

PFAS are turning up in more places than we had ever imagined. Found in numerous everyday items like food packaging [2], clothing [3], shampoos [4], and non-consumer products like firefighting foams and pesticides, these chemicals can enter our lives from a huge range of sources. Manufacture, use and disposal of these products can all result in PFAS being released into the environment, where some have been found to take over 1,000 years to degrade [5].

The result of all this? Research shows that most people now carry PFAS in their blood [6]. These chemicals are so persistent and mobile that they’ve been found everywhere—from the slopes of Mount Everest [7] to the depths of the ocean [8]. Despite increasing awareness of the damage that these chemicals can cause, their widespread use continues, contributing to a growing chemical pollution crisis [9].

Environmental health risks of PFAS

PFAS can be released into the environment at every stage of a product’s lifecycle. Once in the environment, these forever chemicals are highly mobile and can be transported across the globe through water or within the wildlife they pollute. PFAS have also been found to bioaccumulate, meaning they can build up in both people and wildlife to potentially harmful concentration levels. As a result, PFAS contamination poses several direct threats to the health of the environment and ecosystems we depend on.

  • Wildlife: PFAS have been found in hundreds of wildlife species across the globe and have been connected with numerous harmful health effects, including impacted immune, blood and liver function, neurological damage, fertility and developmental issues [10]. Some of the UK’s most iconic species, including the otter, harbour porpoise, and numerous species of seabird, are amongst those found to contain high concentrations of multiple PFAS [10, 11].
  • Soil health: Soils are a major sink for chemical pollutants. PFAS can enter our soils through PFAS-containing pesticides, contaminated sewage sludge and contaminated water supplies. These chemicals can influence soil pH and structure [12], as well as harming bacterial and microbial communities that are essential for maintaining healthy soils [13].
  • Water sources: PFAS have been found in rivers, lakes, reservoirs and marine environments all over the globe, threatening vulnerable ecosystems and drinking water supplies. In England, more than a third of water courses have been found to be contaminated with medium to high risk levels of PFAS [14].

Human health risks from PFAS

Continued exposure to PFAS is causing them to accumulate in our bodies. Many PFAS remain understudied, but those that have been researched in-depth have been linked with a myriad of significant health concerns:

  • Cancer: Several PFAS have been identified as carcinogens. On-going exposure to these chemicals have been associated with higher rates of kidney [15], [16], thyroid [17], testicular [15], ovarian [15] and prostate cancers [15], [16].
  • Liver damage: PFAS have been found to accumulate in the liver [18], impacting function and increasing the risk of liver disease [19].
  • Neurodivergence: Early research suggests exposure to certain PFAS during pregnancy could result in greater instances of autism or ADHD [20], [21].
  • Obesity: Numerous studies have documented links between PFAS exposure and obesity, as well as type 2 diabetes [22].
  • Reproductive health concerns: A range of PFAS have been shown to disrupt female hormone secretion, menstrual cycling and lead to reduced fertility in men and women [23], [24].

A way forward

EU alignment & a PFAS-free society

To ensure effective protection for the natural environment and public health, the UK must prevent further PFAS emissions and take immediate action to restrict all avoidable uses. This could be achieved through alignment with EU chemical regulation, including the proposed universal PFAS restriction. Not only would this ensure high standards of protection for public and environmental health, it would also provide greater certainty for UK businesses and help protect our circular economy from harmful contaminants.

There are also opportunities to start reducing PFAS emissions immediately. For example, progressing with the proposed restriction on PFAS in firefighting foams and introducing restrictions in product sectors with well established and widely accessible alternatives, such as food packaging.

PFAS in pesticides

Fidra’s current initiative focuses on PFAS use in pesticides, as a direct source of PFAS onto crops, soil and into the wider environment. To ensure long-term soil health and food security, we must take urgent action to restrict all PFAS use in pesticides and improve transparency of pesticide inert substances along supply chains. This should contribute to existing commitments to reduce pesticide use and support development of sustainable alternatives such as Integrated Pest Management (IPM).

Find out more

Read our briefing: PFAS and Pesticides: a case for comprehensive UK legislation

Published: August 2024

References

[1]        European Chemicals Agency, “ANNEX XV RESTRICTION REPORT PROPOSAL FOR A RESTRICTION,” 2023. Accessed: Nov. 25, 2024. [Online]. Available: https://echa.europa.eu/documents/10162/f605d4b5-7c17-7414-8823-b49b9fd43aea

[2]        J. Straková, J. Schneider, and N. Cingotti, “Throwaway packaging, forever chemicals: European wide survey of PFAS in disposable food packaging and tableware.,” 2021. Accessed: Nov. 27, 2024. [Online]. Available: https://chemtrust.org/wp-content/uploads/CHE_PFAS_FCM_15July2021_Final.pdf

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