The danger of the “eternal chemicals” we have in our homes (and the long race to get rid of them)

Take a look around your home at the many products that make everyday life easier.

Have you ever wondered why food won’t stick to your favorite skillet, why the grease won’t get through the bag of microwave popcorn, or why the water won’t soak into your jacket?

The same class of synthetic chemicals is likely responsible for all of these functions. But those chemicals are now under the spotlight and, in some parts of the world, they are being phased out entirely.

The group of chemicals known as “PFAS” (per and polyfluoroalkyl substances) is huge. There is more of 4.700 of these fluorine-based compounds.

Often referred to as “Permanent chemicals” Due to their extraordinary persistence, they have been detected in drinking water, dust and even in the human bloodstream.

In fact, you almost certainly have PFAS in your home and on your body.

Health problems

These chemicals, found in a huge variety of products, from food packaging to cosmetics to furniture, have been linked to health problems including liver damage, kidney cancer and birth defects.

However, consumer pressure alone has not been sufficient to significantly eliminate PFAS levels.

After all, figuring out the names of chemical compounds is nearly impossible for the average person, he notes. Jonatan Kleimark, Senior Chemical and Business Advisor at ChemSec, a Swedish non-profit organization that advocates for safer use of chemicals.

“If you are a regular consumer, it is a very complex issue and it is something that is not generally communicated,” says Kleimark.

Also, not everyone has the time and motivation to write to companies and ask if their products contain PFAS, which is what some government agencies recommend.

Some manufacturers may not even realize that they are using PFAS in their products.

“If we really want change, then we need regulation, because that’s what companies will really act on, ”says Kleimark.

“Even the idea of ​​having a PFAS restriction makes companies understand that this is something they really have to work with to find alternatives,” he adds.

What restrictions are there today?

So far, those restrictions are limited.

In July, the US state of Maine became the first jurisdiction in the world to ban the sale of PFAS-containing products starting in 2030, with the exception of when their use is deemed unavoidable (which could apply to certain medical products).

The countries of the European Union (EU) They have restricted certain types and uses of PFAS. But environmental activists and certain European governments are calling for PFAS to be regulated together.

Manufacturers have also been asked to provide more information on alternative products they are using.

“I definitely think there will be some kind of restriction in the next five or six years,” predicts Kleimark.

Members of the chemical industry are seeking more information and guidance to make this transition successfully.

The European Council of the Chemical Industry (CEFIC)It has also requested more clarity on what would be included as an essential use of PFAS.

Alternative options

Finding alternatives has been easier in some industries than others.

“The textile industry it has been at the forefront in the search for alternatives, ”says Kleimark.

However, some companies have been replacing materials that contain PFAS with others that are better for human health but still very harmful to the planet, such as plastic-based clothing.

An innovative company is OrganoClick.

Of Swedish origin, this company seeks a more sustainable use of chemical substances. Your product OrganoTex is an alternative to PTFE (polytetrafluoroethylene), a type of PFAS commonly used in water repellent clothing, better known as Teflon.

Teflon has been a very useful chemical since it was patented by the American company DuPont in 1941.

It is hydrophobic, so it repels water from the fabric; It is also used in nonstick coatings because it can withstand relatively high temperatures and has low friction.

It’s so useful that NASA began applying it to spacesuits and heat shields in the 1960s.

Nevertheless, Mårten Helberg, Chairman and CEO of OrganoClick, argues that we don’t actually need this chemical for specific uses, like helping jackets resist rain.

Unlike astronauts, who may need these materials to resist water, oil, and other substances, most consumers will generally “just be out in the open; and there will be no oil rain, ”says Helberg.

OrganoTex mimics the properties of lotus leaves, which naturally repel water.

If you ever saw droplets slide off the surface of a water lily or a cicada wing, you will understand this hydrophobicity in action.

“We use naturally occurring water repellent molecules” that easily biodegrade, Helberg says, rather than synthetic chemicals that stick around forever.

The OrganoTex line includes sprays, waxes and detergents that keep textiles water repellent through 5 to 10 washes (if consumers apply the treatment themselves), or 20 washes (on industrial products), according to Helberg.

Long road ahead

Teflon is also found in nonstick cookware.

According to the Center for Ecology, a non-profit environmental organization in the United States, a container labeled Teflon-free (or PTFE) probably does not contain PFAS.

Cast iron, stainless steel, and ceramic nonstick pans can be more expensive than some lined pans, but are likely to last longer as well as being safer.

“Part of the problem has been that the consumer has to understand that they are not getting exactly the same product … it is a different technology, and they may have to treat this skillet in a slightly different way than the normal Teflon skillet they used to have,” he says. Kleimark.

This could involve learning a different method of cleaning or seasoning a pan. “But getting consumers to buy is still a challenge,” he adds.

We will also have to learn how to handle alternatives to many other items that contain PFAS, such as fire fighting foams.

Shari Franjevic is the program director for GreenScreen that certifies products that do not contain PFAS and other chemicals.

“In countries where PFAS-free products are allowed for use at airports, for example, users are satisfied with the performance. An example is Heathrow airport in London, ”he says.

“We understand that while PFAS-free products perform differently than PFAS-containing products, they are capable of meeting performance needs in most, if not all situations,” adds Franjevic.

But there is still a long way to go to find the myriad of alternatives that could serve to replace PFAS chemicals. “We need a lot of research for all the different uses,” says Kleimark.

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