Microwave popcorn has always been my favorite snack.\u00a0 Specifically, Pop Secret homestyle flavor.\u00a0 Every day after high school, I would throw a bag in the microwave, savoring the light crunch, melty butter, and hint of salt \u2013 all topped off with a sprinkle of Perfluorooctanoic acid.\u00a0 The perfect snack.(1)<\/p>\n
Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are man-made chemicals found in some food packaging, firefighting foam, drinking water, shellfish, and consumer products.(2) PFAS are a group of more than 4,700 man-made chemicals.\u00a0 They are also known as \u201cforever chemicals\u201d because their long chemical structures make them resistant to natural microbial degradation. PFAS have a half-life of 92 years in the environment and two to eight years in the human body.\u00a0 Further, recent studies have revealed PFAS to be associated with adverse health effects for both humans and animals such as high cholesterol scores, low birth weight in infants, immune dysfunction, thyroid disorders, and cancers.(3)\u00a0 So, should everyone who enjoys a bag of popcorn rush to the doctor?\u00a0 How worried should we be about PFAS?<\/p>\n
If it makes you feel any better, when it comes to PFAS we are all in this together!\u00a0 Nearly all Americans have detectable levels of PFAS in their blood.(4)\u00a0 People that frequently eat foods with PFAS-contaminated packaging \u2013 such as microwave popcorn \u2013 have even higher levels of PFAS chemicals in their blood samples.(5)\u00a0 Recent analysis of unpublished data from the EPA reveals that PFAS has contaminated the water supply of over 119 million Americans <\/strong>(map of PFAS water contamination found here<\/a>).\u00a0 Additionally, home filtration systems are largely ineffective at removing all PFAS from drinking water.(6)\u00a0 If PFAS contamination is a nation-wide issue, why hasn’t the government taken action?<\/p>\n On a federal level, political gridlock has largely prevented Congress from taking any significant action to prevent PFAS contamination.\u00a0 There is potential to move legislation forward in the 117th Congress with the narrow Democrat majority, but Americans cannot rely on this policy avenue to safeguard their health against PFAS.\u00a0 The best bet for sweeping PFAS regulation lies with state representatives.\u00a0 A handful of states have begun to pass PFAS regulations, but we are far from comprehensive legislation.\u00a0 We need to pressure our state representatives to guarantee access to safe drinking water for all Americans, especially communities of color and low-income communities which bear a disproportionate burden from PFAS contamination.(7)<\/p>\n In order to demand PFAS regulation, we first need to understand what has already been done.<\/p>\n As of 2015, an EPA global stewardship program succeeded in halting the manufacturing of PFOA and PFOS in the United States through voluntary corporate commitments.(8)\u00a0 Unfortunately, PFOA and PFOS are only two of many types of PFAS.\u00a0 Further, these chemicals are still imported into the United States in consumer goods and firefighting foam.\u00a0 Therefore, water sources continue to grow more contaminated by the day from firefighting foam runoff and dumping of chemical manufacturing waste.<\/p>\n In 2019, H.R. 535 – PFAS Action Act was proposed to the United States Congress.\u00a0 The bill would require the EPA to classify PFAS as hazardous substances.\u00a0 This classification is significant because it would designate any site contaminated through PFAS dumping or runoff as a Superfund site.(9) Under the CERCLA Act of 1980, parties responsible for hazardous substance contamination must independently fund the cleaning of Superfund sites.(10) \u00a0Therefore, this bill would make polluters responsible for cleanup of the community water sources they contaminate.<\/p>\n The PFAS Action Act passed in the House of Representatives on January 10th, 2020.(11) \u00a0The bill has not been moved to a vote in the Senate, but has little chance of passing amidst the narrow Democrat majority.(12)\u00a0 Therefore, it is unlikely the \u201chazardous waste\u201d designation will be secured anytime soon.(13)<\/p>\n With the Federal Government at a stalemate, we look to the states to champion PFAS regulation. <\/strong><\/p>\n States are leading the effort to intensify PFAS drinking water advisory benchmarks \u2013 the maximum concentration of PFAS that can be in water for it to be considered \u201csafe.\u201d The EPA sets the advisory at 70 parts per trillion for drinking water.(14)\u00a0 Meaning, for every trillion water molecules there cannot exceed 70 molecules of PFAS.\u00a0 However,\u00a0 New Jersey has the most strict regulations in the U.S. with a benchmark of 10 parts per trillion.(15)\u00a0 If we cannot rely on federal agencies to safeguard our health in setting benchmarks, then state governments need to take action (to see if your state has taken action to regulate PFAS in drinking water look here<\/a>).\u00a0 Advisory benchmarks alone are not enough, we need sweeping regulation in order to control PFAS contamination.<\/p>\n What would comprehensive PFAS regulation at the state level look like?\u00a0 It would look like Washington.(16)\u00a0 In 2018 the Washington State Legislature passed HB2658 which prohibits the manufacture and sale of food packaging containing any amount of PFAS.\u00a0 Washington Senate Bill 6413 also passed in 2018 which recalls and bans Class B firefighting foam to which PFAS chemicals have been added. House Bill 1194 requires manufacturers of consumer products to annually report use of PFAS chemicals.\u00a0 House Bills 1102 and 119 jointly provide nearly $5 million in funding for PFAS research and cleanup.(17)\u00a0 This is the type of sweeping, comprehensive legislation that every state should be passing in order to protect the health of its residents.<\/p>\n Every American should be guaranteed access to clean water.\u00a0 Nobody should have to wonder if there are invisible toxins in their morning coffee or their kid\u2019s water bottle. In the midst of this federal legislative gridlock, a few state legislatures have begun to set safe health advisory levels, remove PFAS from food packaging, and prevent PFAS runoff and dumping.\u00a0 However, if we hope to secure access to clean drinking water for all Americans, each and every state needs to take immediate action.\u00a0 PFAS contamination is an avoidable problem if we choose to lead with compassion and listen to science.<\/p>\n For Pete\u2019s sake,\u00a0 I want to have my popcorn and eat it too.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Endnotes<\/strong><\/p>\n <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"\n