"Toxic "forever chemicals" are all over your home. But filtering your water can reduce your exposure.
These synthetic chemicals, also called PFAS, have long been used in consumer products, showing up in everything from makeup and dental floss to carpets, raincoats and nonstick pans.
The main way these chemicals damage your health is if you eat, drink or inhale them. Your drinking water is probably your biggest risk inside your home: Nearly half of U.S. tap water is contaminated with PFAS, according to a recent U.S. Geological Survey study.
In addition, PFAS chemicals in carpets and upholstery can shed off and be inhaled.
"You really can't avoid all exposure but you can try to avoid some of the common sources," says Tasha Stoiber, a senior scientist at Environmental Working Group.
Harmful chemicals
PFAS, shorthand for per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, are chemicals that include a very strong carbon-fluorine bond. These chemicals have special properties that make them a popular component in products that repel water and resist stains and grease. But this bond is also what makes PFAS hard to break down in the environment and in our bodies, where they can remain for years.
Just about everyone has some level of PFAS in their blood, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. You can ask your doctor about testing your blood for PFAS levels.
The chemicals have been linked to myriad health problems, including high cholesterol, certain types of cancer and a decreased immune response, says Jackie Goodrich, a research associate professor of environmental health sciences at the University of Michigan.
Tap water risk
Drinking water is one of the most ubiquitous and harmful sources of PFAS exposure, scientists say. Showering or washing dishes in water with PFAS isn't considered a risk, the CDC says.
Earlier this year the EPA proposed federal limits on certain PFAS compounds in public drinking water, which could be finalized by the year's end. Contact your local water utility to see if they are measuring PFAS and what the levels are, says Aleksandra Szczuka, assistant professor of civil and environmental engineering at the University of Michigan.
Use commonly sold filters to filter your tap water. A recent study from EWG evaluated 10 different filters and found four that reduced the PFAS in the water by 100% or nearly 100%. They included Clearly Filtered, Epic Water Filter, ZeroWater, and Travel Berkey.
Stoiber says the most effective way to remove PFAS from drinking water is to install a reverse osmosis system in your home.
If you get your water from a private well, you may want to get it tested for PFAS and other contaminants, she says.
What about carpets?
It's hard to know for sure whether your rugs or couches contain PFAS. One likely indicator is when a product is marketed as stain-resistant or stain-proof. Be wary of marketing that says a product is free of one particular PFAS chemical, such as PFOA. "That means they probably have a different one in there," says Goodrich.
Carpets that contain PFAS are likely continually shedding the chemicals, says Phil Brown, director of the social science environmental health research institute at Northeastern University.
Other household items
Fish caught from water contaminated by PFAS, floss made with PFAS, and food packaged in material containing PFAS, which is commonly used in fast-food containers due to its grease-resistant properties, are potentially risky, says Ned Calonge, associate dean of public health practice at Colorado School of Public Health at the Anschutz Medical Campus.
Many nonstick pans were made with PFAS. Even if a nonstick pan says it's made without PFAS, it's still safer to cook with something made of cast iron, glass, stainless steel or carbon steel, says the Environmental Working Group." [1]
1. Your Health: Tips to Help Lessen Exposure To 'Forever Chemicals' at Home. Reddy, Sumathi.
Wall Street Journal, Eastern edition; New York, N.Y. [New York, N.Y]. 19 July 2023: A.12.
Komentarų nėra:
Rašyti komentarą