Decades ago, Kris Hansen showed 3M that its PFAS chemicals were in people’s bodies. Her bosses halted her work. As the EPA now forces the removal of the chemicals from drinking water, she wrestles with the secrets that 3M kept from her and the world.
Discovered during the Manhattan Project, these ‘waterproof’ chemicals bind to every living thing’s cells with only bad results. 3M knew since the late 70’s and has continued to manufacture enough to contaminate all the freshwater on Earth.
In April, the EPA took two historic steps to reduce exposure to PFAS. It said that PFOS and PFOA are “likely to cause cancer” and that no level of either chemical is considered safe; it deemed them hazardous substances under the Superfund law, increasing the government’s power to force polluters to clean them up. The agency also set limits for six PFAS in drinking water. In a few years, when the EPA begins enforcing the new regulations, local utilities will be required to test their water and remove any amount of PFOS or PFOA which exceeds four parts per trillion — the equivalent of one drop dissolved in several Olympic swimming pools. 3M has produced enough PFOS and chemicals that degrade into PFOS to exceed this level in all of the freshwater on earth. Meanwhile, many other PFAS continue to be used, and companies are still developing new ones. Thousands of the compounds have been produced; the Department of Defense still depends on many for use in explosives, semiconductors, cleaning fluids and batteries. PFAS can be found in nonstick cookware, guitar strings, dental floss, makeup, hand sanitizer, brake fluid, ski wax, fishing lines and countless other products.
This article is about PFOS so why are you bringing up another chemical discontinued 20 years ago ? I mean, other than fanning the flames of the FOREVER CHEMICALS moral panic ?
Discovered during the Manhattan Project, these ‘waterproof’ chemicals bind to every living thing’s cells with only bad results. 3M knew since the late 70’s and has continued to manufacture enough to contaminate all the freshwater on Earth.
Can we get some numbers on those “likely to cause cancer” claims ?
It sounds like when the cops get a new toy that can detect drugs with 10x sensitivity and they then start blabbing that everyone is on drugs now.
Combine that with the science grants system perverse incentives and you’ve got a recipe for making mountains out of mole hills.
PFOA is considered a known human carcinogen. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Perfluorooctanoic_acid
You seem to have no direct experience with science, given how misinformed you sound.
Just ignore the lemmy.ml users. It’s a very convenient self filter.
Lol groupthinking bubble boy
Not his fault yinz always resort to insults.
He was not deserving of respect
This article is about PFOS so why are you bringing up another chemical discontinued 20 years ago ? I mean, other than fanning the flames of the FOREVER CHEMICALS moral panic ?