Related — PFAS chemicals not linked to disease, but health effects ‘cannot be ruled out’; Experts say ‘limited risk’ from PFAS
“A panel of experts has issued advice saying there’s no evidence the chemicals in firefighting foam affect people’s health, but there is not enough evidence to rule it out either.
The panel was set up by the Australian government, but New Zealand had been waiting for the updated advice to help with its response to foam contamination…
The panel reviewed 20 recent Australian and international reports into the PFAS – of per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances – class of chemicals…
‘Importantly, there is no current evidence that supports a large impact on a person’s health as a result of high levels of PFAS exposure. However … important health effects for individuals exposed to PFAS cannot be ruled out based on the current evidence.’
It said a reported link to testicular and kidney cancer could be down to chance.
The chemicals are extremely longlasting and build up in the body. Two types of them, PFOS and PFOA, have been banned in New Zealand, but most fire crews still use foams with PFAS of some kind in them.
The expert said its advice to the Australian Government was that no specific health intervention was needed except for research purposes…
Critics of the health advice on both sides of the Tasman, including veteran US public health official, have repeatedly said it was too soft and underplayed the risks…
‘There is evidence that exposure to PFAS can lead to adverse health outcomes in humans,’ the US Environmental Protection Agency advises on its website…
The Australian panel included experts in environmental health, toxicology, epidemiology and public health.
It highlighted what it said were ‘multiple limitations and issues’ with research findings into the health impacts of PFAS including studies where cause and effect could not be substantiated, a small number of studies on some health effects, and statistical analysis problems.”
Read the full article by Phil Pennington