is a senior science reporter covering energy and the environment with more than a decade of experience. She is also the host of Hell or High Water: When Disaster Hits Home , a podcast from Vox Media and Audible Originals.
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This is The Stepback, a weekly newsletter breaking down one essential story from the tech world. For more on all things at the intersection of environment and technology, follow Justine Calma. The Stepback arrives in our subscribers’ inboxes at 8AM ET. Opt in for The Stepback here.
How it started
Some stories that I’ve worked on as an environmental journalist still haunt me. One of the first to get under my skin happened to be about forever chemicals.
Technically known as per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), they’re called forever chemicals because of particularly strong molecular bonds that keep them from breaking down even in harsh conditions. It’s a trait that also means they can linger in the environment for hundreds or even thousands of years and potentially in the human body for several years. Most people in the US already have PFAS in their blood, according to national health surveys by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) that have included PFAS testing since 1999. People eat food and drink water contaminated with the chemicals, or they might be exposed if they live near or work at a factory where there are PFAS.
Researchers are still trying to fully understand the impact that these chemicals can have on the human body. Some of the most widely used forever chemicals have already been linked to health effects such as kidney and testicular cancer, hypertension and preeclampsia in pregnancy, higher cholesterol, and more.
How it’s going
A landslide of lawsuits have forced some companies to do something about their pollution. Companies including 3M (maker of Scotchgard) and Dupont (manufactured Teflon) have subsequently made commitments to phase down or phase out the chemicals. Levels of two of the most prevalent forms of PFAS in Americans’ blood have dropped by 70 and 85 percent as production and use fell over the past couple decades, according to the CDC. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) finalized limits on five of the most common types of forever chemicals in drinking water last year.
Problem solved, right? Unfortunately, it’s not that simple. There are actually thousands of different kinds of forever chemicals. And new health concerns have cropped up with chemicals meant to replace the most notorious types of PFAS.
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