Read the full article by Rachael Mellor (Resilience)
“In the period leading up to the Second World War, technological advances were rapidly redefining everyday life, including the widespread use of a new class of superchemicals that promised to solve all our household problems. Perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances, or PFAS, are a class of synthetic chemicals known as ‘forever chemicals’, which have quietly infiltrated our daily lives.
PFAS have been found in seemingly innocuous items throughout your home: non-stick cookware, food packaging, pizza boxes, popcorn bags, seafood products, dairy, and even tap water. The chemicals are used in some textiles, including furniture, carpets, rugs, and other stain-resistant fabrics. Other places you can find them are in shampoo, toilet paper, dental floss and even your phone.
In fact, PFAS are now so ubiquitous that they have been found in our water sources, soils, air, and food. Their extreme resistance to biodegradation means they are now deeply embedded in our natural world, from Mount Everest to the deepest oceans. “…