E&E News Politico: Trifluoroacetic acid, the new PFAS that is everywhere

E & E News: You’ve probably never heard of this ‘forever chemical.” Scientists say it is everywhere. Journalist: Miranda Wilson Date: September 12, 2024 As cities and towns plan to remove several harmful “forever chemicals” from drinking water, scientists are starting to focus on a less-studied version of the chemicals that is showing up virtually everywhere they look. Trifluoroacetic acid, or TFA, could be one of the most widespread forever chemicals in the environment, according to a growing body of…

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CNN: Banned flame retardants in black plastic take out containers & foodware

  CNN: Black-colored plastic used for kitchen utensils and toys linked to banned toxic flame retardants Black-colored plastics used in electronics are leaching flame retardants into kitchen utensils, toys and food containers, a new study found.  October 1, 2024 Journalist: Sandee LaMotte Black-colored plastic used in children’s toys, takeout containers, kitchen utensils and grocery meat and produce trays may contain alarming levels of toxic flame retardants that may be leaching from electronic products during recycling, a new study found. “A…

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The Hill: No safe level of 1000s of common chemicals

Saul Elbein, Feb 7, 2024 The Hill reports, “Plastics, pesticides and forever chemicals are exposing billions of people around the world to pernicious and dangerous health effects, a new report has found. In the report published Monday, scientists from the Endocrine Society and the International Pollutants Elimination Network criticized the way regulators determine the toxicity level of chemicals — and suggested that for a staggering array of common compounds, no dose may be safe. This is a problem scientists connect to…

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EWG: ‘Forever chemicals’ in landfills threaten in environmental justice communities

Many of the 11,000-plus active and closed landfills in the U.S. could be contaminated with the “forever chemicals” known as PFAS, creating increased health risks for the low-income communities and communities of color that are often located close to these sites. Experts estimate that every year 16,500 pounds of PFAS end up in landfills from discarded household goods, industrial waste and more. About 1,100 pounds of these chemicals get released, creating air pollution problems for people living nearby.  And 1,760 pounds of…

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KUOW: Does playing soccer on artifcial turf increase cancer risk especially in kids

  Longtime University of Washington goalies coach Amy Griffin is not an activist by nature. But 15 years ago, she identified what she believed was a trend that she couldn’t ignore in good conscience — young goalies being diagnosed with blood cancer. It started when she ran into two of her former goalkeepers at University Village, an outdoor mall in northeast Seattle. The two young women had grown up playing soccer in the same Seattle neighborhoods, on the same fields.…

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New study shows PFAS exposures for children playing on turf

Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility conducted a small study in San Diego that raises questions about children’s exposure to toxic PFAS when playing on artificial turf.  The Washington Post covered the story at: https://www.washingtonpost.com/wellness/2024/03/12/artificial-turf-pfas-chemicals/ NBC San Diego has an additional report at: https://www.nbcsandiego.com/news/local/chemicals-artificial-turf-study/3468211/   Photo credit: Adria Crehuet Cano on UnSplash  

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The Guardian: Pork, tea, butter among foods contaminated with PFAS

Feb 19, 2024–The Guardian reported on new research from the University of Southern California, showing a link between elevated PFAS levels in blood and consumption of certain foods, including butter, processed meats, tea, and bottled water. The USC study analyzed the diets of 700 individuals over a 4-year period. Researchers found that some foods increased PFAS levels when consumed in restaurants but not when prepared at home, suggesting that food packaging was a route of exposure. Pork was associated with…

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The Guardian: EPA testing finds widespread PFAS contamination in drinking water

Feb 24, 2024 According to reporting in The Guardian, the Environmental Protection Agency has tested one third of United States drinking water systems for PFAS, finding PFAS in water systems that serve 70 million Americans. If contamination rates in this sample of water systems are consistent with rates in water that has not yet been tested, 200 million Americans are likely to have PFAS in their water. This represents 60 of the United States population. The EPA test results are…

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Toxic Free Kids Gets Favorable Report

On January 25, the Consumer Protection and Professional Licensure Committee gave the Toxic Free Kids bill a favorable report, sending the bill to the Senate Ways and Means for further action.  This is great news. Let your legislators know that you support action to get toxic chemicals out of things made for children 12 and under. Infants and children are especially vulnerable to the effects of toxic chemicals.  That’s why things made for children should never contain chemicals that can…

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