Forever Chemicals - Is PFAS Lurking in Your Products - What Can You Do - Colin Price Consulting

1/2/24, 6:05 PM Forever Chemicals: Is PFAS lurking in your products? What can you do?
— Colin Price Consulting
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CHEMICALS MANAGEMENT • PRODUCT SAFETY

DEC 5
Forever Chemicals: Is PFAS lurking in your

products? What can you do?
Perflourinated compounds (PFCs - including PFAS) are often toxic to people &
ecosystems, do not degrade in the environment, can accumulate in our food
chain, and are used in products and manufacturing processes across the global
economy.
They’re bad, and they’re everywhere.
These chemicals highlight the continuing need for effective management

strategies across many categories of consumer products.
What are Forever Chemicals?
https://www.colinpriceconsulting.com/blog/forever-chemicals 1/10
1/2/24, 6:05 PM Forever Chemicals: Is PFAS lurking in your products? What can you do? — Colin Price Consulting
The term “forever chemicals” refers to a huge class of man-made compounds that have been created to
contain varying numbers of fluorine molecules arranged in eitherABOUT
long or short chains of carbon atoms.
Depending on the way the fluorine molecules are arranged
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the compound they are either “per” or “poly”
flourinated compounds (PFCs).
Two of the more common groups in this giant (and growing) class of PFCs are perfluoroalkyl substances
(PFAS), perfluorooctanoic acids (PFOA), and Perfluorooctane Sulfate (PFOS).
Since the 1940s, over 12,000 of them have been used in consumer products because of their helpful ability
to make products water-repellent, stain-resistant, non-stick, and more. These same properties are also useful
in manufacturing and storage.
Why is PFAS a concern for businesses and consumers?
PFAS and their many cousin chemicals continue to be found in surprising places across our economy, in our
ecosystems, even in the blood of babies before they are born. Equally concerning, there is a large body of
science showing health and environmental impacts.
They are scientifically linked to health impacts in people & animals
Many of the individual chemicals in this class of compounds are scientifically linked to human and
environmental health impacts.
According to recent scientific studies, increased exposure to these chemicals can lead to a number of health
issues, including impacts to reproduction, development, increased risk of cancers, immune system strength,
hormone levels, and cholesterol, to name a few.
The scariest part of it all is the fact that we don’t know the full effects of these chemicals since there are
thousands of them, they change composition over time, and they were introduced relatively recently.
They don’t naturally degrade and accumulate in the food chain
PFCs also break down very, very slowly–which is how they got the name “forever chemicals.” Their resistance
to degradation means they can be found in the environment, in our blood, and in animals worldwide.
In 2022, researchers from North Carolina State University found biomagnification happening at every step
of the food chain during a study on PFAS in the Yadkin-Pee Dee River. “We are part of the food chain, and
when we ingest these foods, we accumulate their PFAS loads, too,” says Greg Cope, author of the study.
It’s not just human and environmental factors that are concerning, we’ve seen growing regulatory risk as
well.
• In California, beginning on January 1, 2025, an update to two laws prohibits intentionally adding PFAS
in textile and cosmetic products. ABOUT
• New Hampshire will prohibit the sale and distribution of food packaging that contains perfluoroalkyl
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and polyfluoroalkyl substances beginning January CONTACT
• A new federal ban on PFAS in cosmetics is anticipated to be introduced by the end of 2023.
As awareness of these chemicals grows, so does the backlash with huge lawsuits. In 2022 there was a class
action suit filed against REI’s waterproof coat and Almay and Revlon for their PFAS levels.
Taking steps to ban these chemicals from being added to our products is only a starting point. Forever
chemicals sneak their way into products via workers' clothing, equipment, lubricants, bottles, drums, totes,
and more.
Just because they are not “intentionally” added doesn’t mean a company can’t be liable for their presence,
which makes taking action for brands who want to do the right thing very challenging.
These forever chemicals are in essentially every consumer goods category. We can’t escape them–from tape,
shampoo, furniture, cell phones, to-go food containers, cleaning products, cookware, clothing, and more.
Whether they are ending up in our products intentionally or unintentionally, they are a serious and material
sustainability issue that demand action.
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How can companies best address PFAS andCONTACT
other PFCs?
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Forever Chemicals - Is PFAS Lurking in Your Products - What Can You Do - Colin Price Consulting

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1/2/24, 6:05 PM Forever Chemicals: Is PFAS lurking in your products? What can you do?

— Colin Price Consulting

CHEMICALS MANAGEMENT • PRODUCT SAFETY

Forever Chemicals: Is PFAS lurking in your

They’re bad, and they’re everywhere.

These chemicals highlight the continuing need for effective management

What are Forever Chemicals?

Why is PFAS a concern for businesses and consumers?

We respect your privacy.

CHEMICALS MANAGEMENT • PFAS • CONTAMINANTS • TESTING • RSL

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