PFAS, where they are, what they do and how to protect yourself

PFAS, forever chemicals, teflon. Whatever you call them, two things are true; they are being widely used across the nation, and they have alarming human health consequences. 

PFAS, a man-made family of thousands of chemicals, started being used in the 1940’s and 50’s in household products, like cookware, and are now found in over 3,000 consumer products. PFAS are found in nearly half of Americans’ tap water, and many Utah residents are included in that number. In 2024, two Salt Lake City wells tested positive for PFAS, as well as some of Park City’s drinking water. 

PFAS have been found in pesticides which are toxic on their own, and widely used by state and federal agencies across communities, parks, and public land. UPHE has written a letter for members of the medical community to sign on to, urging Utah state officials to reduce the pesticide use in the state based on the contamination of PFAS. If you are in the medical community, please sign on below. 

A watchdog group and a former EPA researcher are currently accusing the EPA of scientific misconduct after their pesticide testing failed to report PFAS. This raised concerns about the accuracy and transparency of the EPA’s testing and reporting practices.

The New York Times called attention this week to PFAS found in fertilizer, which has been spread across American farmlands for decades. 

Aside from the chemicals’ history of killing livestock and produce, their presence in fertilizer is particularly alarming due to the many known health consequences of consuming these chemicals. While still being studied, we know that PFAS have been linked to kidney and testicular cancer, birth defects, low birth weight, changes in liver enzymes, increases in cholesterol levels and lower antibody response to some vaccines. 

So what’s being done about the PFAS in the fertilizer? The New York Times reports on lawsuits raising against the fertilizer producers as well as the EPA for failing to regulate the dangerous chemicals. Some states, like Michigan, are having to ban agriculture on lands too heavily concentrated with PFAS. Others, like Maine, have banned the use of sewage sludge on agricultural fields.

You can read more about brands who avoid and use PFAS in their products here

Find the full New York Times article here.