FOREVER CHEMICALS ECO REPORT
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Commenting on the findings at the time, Graham Peaslee, Professor of Physics at Notre Dame and principal investigator of the study, said: “These results are particularly concerning when you consider the risk of exposure to the consumer combined with the size and scale of a multibillion-dollar industry that provides these products to millions of consumers daily.
PFAS is a persistent chemical; when it gets into the bloodstream, it stays there and accumulates
“There’s the individual risk – these are products that are applied around the eyes and mouth with the potential for absorption through the skin or at the tear duct, as well as possible inhalation or ingestion.
“PFAS is a persistent chemical; when it gets into the bloodstream, it stays there and accumulates. “There’s also the additional risk of environmental contamination associated with the manufacture and disposal of these products, which could affect many more people.”
LABELLING LAWS
Of most concern to the study’s authors, however, was the fact that while 29 products with high fluorine concentrations were tested further and found to contain between four and 13 specific PFAS, only one of the items tested listed PFAS as an ingredient on the product label. “This is a red flag,” Peaslee said. “Our measurements indicate widespread use of PFAS in these products – but it’s important to note that the full extent of use of fluorinated chemicals in cosmetics is hard to estimate due to lack of strict labelling requirements in both countries.”
INDUSTRY ANGLE
In response to the release of this research, Alexandra Kowcz, Chief Scientist at the PCPC – the US’ leading national trade association for personal care products companies – said: “It is inappropriate to assume that anything with a fluorine atom has the same safety profile.
“This group of chemicals is used in a wide range of consumer products. A small number of PFAS may be found as ingredients, or at trace levels in cosmetics and personal care products, such as lotion, nail polish, eye make-up and foundation.” Regarding the labelling concerns flagged in the report, she added: “In a recent study published in the Journal of Environmental Science and Technology Letters, some of the fluorine levels detected could be the result of trace amounts from materials naturally occurring in the environment or as a result of the manufacturing process. “Since trace amounts are not intentionally added to products, they are not required to be listed on
cosmeticsbusiness.com
Since trace amounts are not intentionally added to products, they are not required to be listed on the label
the label. FDA recognises their possible presence and offers guidance on allowable levels. “The PCPC supports FDA’s authority to review these compounds, and they have the expertise to do so.”
LEGAL CHANGE
The good news is that legislative change is now underway. Introduced in the Senate by Senators Susan Collins, Richard Blumenthal, Dianne Feinstein, Maggie Hassan, Jeanne Shaheen, Kirsten Gillibrand and Angus King on the same day as the study was published, the ‘No PFAS in Cosmetics Act’ would ban the intentional use of PFAS chemicals in cosmetics. The bad news, however, is that the PFAS already in the environment, as a result of consumer industry usage, aren’t going anywhere – and are therefore in a position to cause further damage to people and the planet
WE ASK THE EXPERT
Dr Francesca Bevan, Policy & Advocacy Manager – Chemicals, Marine Conservation Society What is the impact of forever chemicals on marine ecosystems?
PFAS, or ‘forever chemicals’, are a concern in the marine environment primarily due to their extreme ability to persist, which also earns them their apt nickname. Persistence is something we are all coming to understand through plastic, which provides a visual reminder, but there are other invisible substances, like PFAS, that endure as well. Because they persist, they accumulate, increasing in the environment over time, constantly adding more and more of a chemical burden to wildlife. Unfortunately, they are also found everywhere in our daily lives and goods. Today PFAS are so heavily used because they are able to provide both grease and waterproofing properties, making them ubiquitous in industrial and consumer products, in everything from cosmetics and waterproof clothing to firefighting foam. They can enter the environment directly, for
example where firefighting foam is discharged, or indirectly, eg cosmetics washing down the drain and ending up in wastewater or sewage sludge. Sewage sludge can be used in many countries on farm land as a fertiliser and thus ends up in the environment. Evidence shows that PFAS adversely affect marine animals; bottlenose dolphins in the USA showed a link between increased levels of PFAS and weakened immune, blood, kidney and liver function. PFAS have also been linked to exposure to health implications in sea otters, seals and polar bears.
It has been shown by other chemicals (such as the industrial use of
PCBs) the impact that can be caused by high persistence. Although these have been banned for over 30 years, they are still wreaking havoc on the marine environment. UK killer whale populations for instance, are trending towards a complete collapse consistent with severe PCB pollution. Although we know some of the impacts of PFAS, these may still underestimate the true impact in the environment as they continue to accumulate.
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