PFAS | Must Read studies found the chemicals in the blood of occupationally exposed workers. PFAS was found in the blood of the general population in the 1990s. That discovery led to greater awareness of the chemicals and concerns over their presence in the environment and humans, as well as potential health impacts. Widespread documentation of environmental contamination didn’t happen until the early 2000s. PFAS chemicals can pollute sources of drinking water and the environment in multiple ways, through washing and disposal in landfills and incinerators. The chemicals have been found in sediments, surface and groundwater and wildlife. Some have been found in places throughout the world far beyond where the chemicals were initially used or manufactured. Legislation in New York enacting certain PFAS prohibitions notes, “mounting research has linked well-known PFAS compounds such as perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and perfluorooctanesulfonic acid (PFOS) to kidney and testicular cancer and communities with PFAS contaminated water have been shown to suffer serious medical effects.” The same bill cites research from the John Wood Group, an engineering and consulting firm, that says, “PFASs are very persistent in Increased incidences of testicular and kidney cancer for those with high exposure Kidney damage Liver damage Decreased immune system function Interference with vaccine uptake Developmental and reproductive harm Increased risk of asthma Adverse health impacts associated with PFAS include: PPAI • APRIL 2023 • 45
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