These harmful substances are ubiquitous and have been associated with various health problems. Therefore, what strategies can be employed to reduce their detrimental effects? In pursuit of solutions, one American mother has dedicated herself to finding answers.
In 2015, when Andrea Amico came back from her holiday, she found four big yellow envelopes on her kitchen table, with one for every member of her family.
The letters included blood test results sent from her state health department in the U.S. "When I laid eyes on the envelopes... I immediately felt uneasy," Amico remembered.
The previous year, she came across a news report detailing how a water well in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, had been shut down due to the discovery of elevated concentrations of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances within it. known as PFAS The well was situated just next to her husband's workplace and near the children's day care center.
The test results confirmed Amico’s worst fears. The family exhibited heightened concentrations of these substances in their bloodstream, with his youngest child being the most affected. “It was absolutely heart-wrenching,” stated Amico.
What do PFAS stand for and what makes them worrisome?
The Portsmouth well had PFOS, a harmful substance present in certain firefighting foams. The concentrations exceeded US standards by 12 times. Environmental Protection Agency's suggested guidelines at the time and 600 times higher than today's standards.
The chemical was linked to an old air force base close to the city, where they utilized the foam for training exercises. This resulted in contamination of the soil and underground water supplies as it seeped through.
PFOS belongs to a group comprising roughly 15,000 synthetic substances referred to as PFAS. These chemicals are commonly known as 'forever chemicals' since these materials do not decompose readily and may require millennia to break down completely.
Boasting an exceptional capability to withstand high temperatures, moisture, and grime, these substances find applications across numerous consumer and industrial goods. They can be discovered in items such as waterproof outerwear, cosmetics, and stain-resistant rugs, as well as in medical equipment, semiconductor chips, and wind turbine components.
PFAS can readily contaminate the environment via water and air. These substances accumulate in our bodies gradually, primarily through consumption of contaminated water and food. PFAS have been found in human blood, hair, and breast milk.
Up until now, just a small number of these "forever chemicals" have undergone examination, with even fewer being subject to regulation within both the European Union and the United States. Studies have connected various PFAS compounds to issues such as increased cholesterol levels, thyroid disorders, hormone imbalances, reduced fertility, and certain types of cancer.
The quest for solutions in Portsmouth and farther afield continues
Amico, an occupational therapist, initially came across PFAS through a newspaper article discussing the contaminated well in Portsmouth. However, she has dedicated more than ten years to seeking solutions ever since.
The outcomes of the blood tests made her feel both enraged and terrified—and she was not isolated in this sentiment. Her relatives were part of nearly 2,000 individuals, which included kids, from the region who underwent blood testing during the period from 2015 to 2017. According to a U.S. health agency’s document, concentrations of specific PFAS were approximately two to three times greater compared to those typically observed within the broader populace.
The report raised numerous queries for Amico regarding health effects and preventive measures. Consequently, in 2017, she assisted in establishing the National PFAS Contamination Coalition, an organization pushing for stricter regulations and accountability from contaminating corporations. In 2018, she gave testimony at the inaugural PFAS hearing before the U.S. Senate.
She has additionally campaigned for a health impact assessment, which, according to her, took place in her neighborhood in 2019 as part of an extensive effort to document other polluted regions across the United States. The findings from this study are anticipated later this year.
The issue with PFAS reaches well beyond Portsmouth and affects many cities, towns, and agricultural areas throughout the nation. Tests conducted over the past two decades indicate that 98% of Americans have measurable amounts of PFAS in their bloodstream, and a considerable part of the U.S.'s tap water supply is polluted.
How can we reduce the effects of PFAS?
There are techniques available for addressing PFAS contamination in the environment; however, these methods tend to be intricate and costly.
At the old air force facility in Portsmouth, besides establishing new setups, they also groundwater Treatment facilities ultimately added specialized filters to capture PFAS at the affected well. However, filtration—the primary technique for eliminating PFAS from water—comes with certain drawbacks.
"Frequently, the PFAS captured on filters simply ends up in a landfill somewhere, and we've merely transferred it rather than actually breaking it down," explained Dan Jones, a professor in the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology at Michigan State University.
Jones mentioned that incineration is an alternative method, however, it necessitates specific facilities and consumes substantial amounts of energy.
Other technologies, like employing sound waves or microorganisms to eliminate PFAS from water, remain under development. The extent to which these methods can be scaled up and their ability to handle more than just a handful of PFAS varieties are currently uncertain.
Alissa Cordner, an environmental sociologist from Whitman College in Washington, U.S., stated that cleanup is merely one component of the overall issue.
"Should we aim to decrease the risks associated with PFAS, then in most instances, we must stop both the current and future usage of these substances," stated Cordner.
A major move could be an impending EU prohibition on over 10,000 PFAS chemicals, according to Cordner. The bloc’s chemical authority is anticipated to make a decision on this proposal shortly. However, Countries like France have already initiated bans on the use of these chemicals in items including cosmetics, clothes, and footwear, along with requiring surveillance of PFAS levels in drinking water.
In the US, the Environmental Protection Agency has withdrawn Biden-era plans to put a national limit on the amount of PFAS manufacturers can discharge into water. This means it's up to states to regulate. Still, the new EPA chief, Lee Zeldin, has stated that tackling PFAS is a "key priority" for him.
Currently, manufacturers must file notifications with the EPA for any new PFAS substances to allow for an evaluation of their potential risks. However, according to Dan Jones, when policies ban or phase out certain chemicals, these are frequently substituted with others that pose similar dangers.
Fear for the future
In Portsmouth, Amico has fitted a filter onto her kitchen faucet. While she backs broader restrictions on PFAS, she believes people can contribute by making different purchasing choices.
“I definitely get why folks like having waterproof jackets and boots along with stain-proof carpets,” she stated. “However, I believe we should also consider as buyers whether it’s truly worthwhile.”
A decade after getting those yellow envelopes, her kids are thriving, noted Amico. However, she still harbors anxiety about potential health problems down the line. "It's always looming—what could potentially happen," she explained.
Edited by: Jennifer Collins
Holly Young adapted this narrative from an episode of Diwida's Living Planet podcast. You can locate the audio version. here.
Author: Natalie Muller