![]() “The problem is the FDA’s failure to reassess chemicals that were previously approved,” Neltner said. The agency had “an obligation” to reassess the approval, Neltner said. And the FDA in 1983 approved the use of high levels of fluorinated gas with plastic food containers at a time when much less was known about the chemicals. “In big strokes, what we are learning is creating more questions than answers, and there seems to be different levels of complexity on these questions,” Maffini said.ĮPA scientists recently revealed that managers at the agency have changed PFAS toxicology reports to make the chemical appear less harmful, shaking confidence in the EPA’s ability to handle the issue. That hypothetical container could hold a flavoring that’s added to cola, which is then added to a new 20 ounce soda bottle that could also have PFAS on it from its production. More residual PFAS could also rub off on the container during the manufacturing process. Plastic containers that are contaminated with the chemicals could be recycled and used to create new containers to which more PFAS are added. Such wide use creates the potential for several troubling scenarios. PFAS creates an effective barrier that prevents flavorings and fragrances from slowly permeating out of the container prevents oxygen or moisture that could ruin the product from permeating in and protects containers from cracking or degrading.īut plastic industry experts also say much of the contaminated plastic is recycled, which means the nation’s plastic recycling stream is contaminated with PFAS. The containers, bins and drums are also used to store fuel, paint and other industrial substances. ![]() The containers in the US are used to store fragrances, essential oils and widely used flavorings like limonene that is added to fruit juices, soft drinks, baked goods, ice cream, pudding and similar foods, or used in personal care products like shampoo and hand soap. Plastic companies also treat bulk containers with fluorine gas. Researchers with the Green Science Policy Institute in the coming months will publish a study that “detected PFAS in plastic packaging for grocery items” and its peer-reviewed paper will offer insight into how widely the chemicals are used. Some amount of the chemical remains on containers that hold everything from food to cleaning products to self-care products. Plastic industry experts told the Guardian that PFAS are used as a lubricant during the manufacturing process to prevent containers from sticking to machinery and one another. The chemicals end up in or on plastic bottles through several routes. “Any level of PFAS in food on top of what we already have is a problem,” she added. The study’s findings strongly suggest that the chemicals would leach into food and beverages, said Maricel Maffini, a researcher who studies the chemicals’ use in food packaging. For context, some states allow as little as 5ppt in drinking water, while public health advocates say anything above 1ppt is dangerous. PFAS levels in water that was left in a fluorinated container for a year measured at a startling 188,000 parts per trillion (ppt). The chemicals are linked to cancer, birth defects, liver disease, thyroid disease, plummeting sperm counts, kidney disease, decreased immunity and a range of other serious health problems.Ī 2011 University of Toronto study also suggests that the chemicals can leach from plastic containers at high volumes. They are called “forever chemicals” because they do not naturally break down and can accumulate in humans. PFAS, or per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, are a class of about 9,000 compounds that are used to make products like clothing and carpeting resistant to water, stains and heat. “Fluorination is being used for plastic food containers, cosmetic containers – it’s in everything,” said Tom Neltner, a senior scientist with the Environmental Defense Fund. ![]() But public health advocates say new revelations suggest that the compounds are much more ubiquitous than previously thought, and fluorinated plastic containers, especially those used with food, probably represent a major new exposure point to PFAS. ![]()
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