Three Steps to Prevent PFAS Exposure at Home

THIS WEEK’S CONTRIBUTOR:
Ellie Johnson, Intern
APTIM | Environmental Compliance & Sustainability
Ellie.Johnson@APTIM.com
Ellie Johnson is a third-year student studying environmental policy at Georgetown University and a committed member of the Georgetown Field Hockey team. She is interested in environmentalism, law, women studies, and entrepreneurship.

 

 

Three Steps to Prevent PFAS Exposure at Home

After the recent rise of national attention on per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) and their dangers, it is easy to feel inundated with bad news. Nearly every PFAS-related article discusses how these substances are “forever chemicals” that bioaccumulate in living organisms, with studies indicating that they cause increased rates of certain cancers, decreased fertility, increased birth defects, and more. Frequent media discussions revolve around how an estimated 97% of Americans now contain these forever chemicals in their blood and many common household items are now known to contain PFAS.

Facing the PFAS Problem

Personally, my concern recently intensified after discovering that some of my favorite activities, like skiing and turf-based sports, along with commonly consumed foods, like coffee, tea, white rice, and eggs, contain particularly high levels of certain PFAS. This issue is widespread: troubling articles report that “finding PFAS chemicals in areas such as the North Pole or [Mariana Trench] is normal nowadays.” It seems the media has reported every alarming fact about PFAS without offering solutions or highlighting any significant preventative measures.

Fortunately, the lack of coverage does not indicate a lack of options for remediation or personal protection. According to the EPA, several methods are proven to be effective in the removal of PFAS from water: activated carbon treatment, ion exchange resins, and high-pressure membranes, like nanofiltration and reverse osmosis. Additionally, the food and packaging industries are increasingly turning away from PFAS use and instead choosing other substances. As of February 2024, the FDA announced that manufacturers agreed to join the voluntary pact to stop selling grease-proofing materials containing PFAS for use in food packaging in the US, therefore eliminating  a source of dietary PFAS exposure.

APTIM’s Fight Against PFAS

Companies are taking action to implement these techniques on a large scale. APTIM stands out as a leader in the field of PFAS remediation. Our mission is to enhance the quality of the environment and create sustainable and resilient communities for all; this is the motivation behind every project we take on.

As Senior Project Manager/PFAS Lead Laura McNamara mentioned in her recent blog post, APTIM is working on influential projects that include preventing the spread of PFAS into the Oakland Inner Harbor, researching new methods of at-home PFAS removal systems, and designing large-scale drinking water treatment systems. These projects protect APTIM’s clients and the greater communities from continued PFAS exposure in their drinking water.

APTIM also works with the solid waste industry to manage and mitigate landfill runoff containing PFAS. APTIM designed a new patented Evaporator System, as Senior Director of Solid Waste Operations Russ Keckler wrote about in his recent blog post, that is a sustainable solution to PFAS remediation. An APTIM facility in South Carolina evaporates up to 40,000 gallons of leachate per day with natural gas as its fuel source.

Along with that, APTIM helps sites replace their PFAS-filled firefighting foam, a substance widely-used by airports and military bases due to its effectiveness against liquid-based, particularly jet-fueled fires, with PFAS-free replacements. An additional component to firefighting foam projects is the remediation of contaminated soil in the surrounding areas, which includes assessing both human health and ecological risk to support site-specific PFAS toxicity assessments.

To help ease your mind further, it is important to mention that while APTIM is a trailblazer and leader in PFAS remediation, they are not the only company working to protect communities. Included in this fight against PFAS contamination are a multitude of companies working on different aspects of the issue. All of these actions taken together actively produce a safer environment for those communities and ecosystems at large.

How to Prevent PFAS Exposure at Home

Fortunately, you as a consumer are not at the mercy of corporations and their PFAS-related choices; there are actions you can take at home to reduce exposure.

1. One source of potential PFAS exposure is from drinking water. An immediate action you can take to reduce potential exposure is to purchase a water filter. There are a variety of filters already on the market that range from cheaper hand-held pitchers to pricier installable filter systems. These filters are proven to be effective in reducing PFAS concentrations in drinking water.

Additionally, now that PFAS are federally regulated, residents on municipal or other supplied water will be protected by the provider in coming years. Water providers will begin consistent PFAS monitoring within three years and address any PFAS contamination levels over the Maximum Contaminant Levels (MCLs) within five years. Longer term action items include advocacy for broader testing and large-scale remediation, such as APTIM’s projects, and urging the EPA or your local government officials to make this issue a priority with tighter regulations.

2. Another source of PFAS exposure occurs from hidden sources, most notably food packaging and cosmetics. To address the risks from food packaging, you can take steps at home to reduce your risk by avoiding:

Instead, focus on using glass, ceramic, cast iron, or stainless-steel cookware as opposed to plastic packaging or nonstick cookware whenever possible. As for cosmetics, goods such as lotions, nail polish, mascara, lipstick, eyeliner, and shaving cream most often contain high levels of PFAS chemicals. To protect yourself, check the labels of products prior to use and try to avoid the following ingredients:

Longer term solutions once again include advocacy to your local government officials or the FDA to promote improved labels on goods, prohibiting the use of PFAS, or holding corporations accountable.

3. Lastly, as I mentioned earlier, many specialty items used for extracurriculars contain PFAS chemicals. The primary tool consumers have against this avenue of exposure is simply education and awareness. For example, now that I know ski wax contains high levels of PFAS—which is dangerous because ski wax gets on my hands and could also contaminate the snow and soil I ski over—I now purchase PFAS-free wax from Swix Sports or Toko Wax.

Another change I have made is looking at the substances in my field hockey mouthguard. My previous mouthguard contained PFAS, so now I have been on the hunt for a contaminant-free one. The closest I have come is the SISU brand. This practice can be done with any of your activities:

A quick web search will often produce alternatives to many of your PFAS-laden goods.

The Future of PFAS

Hopefully, this blog provides you with some clarity regarding the power you as an individual have to protect yourself against PFAS exposure, as well as some hope that there are large-scale actions being taken to mitigate this problem. Companies like APTIM are working tirelessly to protect communities and ecosystems against “forever chemicals.” With continued advocacy and action, the PFAS problem can eventually become a thing of the past. Want to learn more? Reach out to reach out to APTIM’s PFAS subject matter experts today to explore how our comprehensive solutions can address your PFAS challenges and compliance needs, ushering in a safer, cleaner tomorrow.