Researchers are warning that perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in U.S. pesticides pose a long-term health risk, akin to the dangers of DDT.
Nathan Donley and Kyla Bennett write for Scientific American.
In short:
- PFAS, or "forever chemicals," are increasingly being used in pesticides, potentially contaminating food, water and the environment.
- These chemicals are linked to cancers, developmental delays and immune dysfunction; and their persistence means they remain harmful for generations.
- Gaps in EPA regulations, such as missing toxicity assessments, are allowing more of these chemicals into the environment without adequate safeguards.
Key quote:
"Simply put, if the goal was to spread forever chemicals as broadly as possible across the nation, there would likely be no more efficient way of doing so than putting them in pesticides."
— Nathan Donley, environmental health science director at the Center for Biological Diversity, and Kyla Bennett, director of science policy, Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility’s (PEER)
Why this matters:
What makes PFAS particularly alarming is their resilience. As the research continues to grow, the question is whether the EPA will keep up with the scope of this problem. Read more: PFAS on our shelves and in our bodies.
