Toxic “Forever Chemicals” in US Pesticides Raise Health Concerns
Washington, 24 Jul (ONA) --- Toxic "forever chemicals" are increasingly being used in U.S. pesticides, threatening human health as they contaminate waterways and are sprayed on staple foods, a study said.
Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) have come under increasing scrutiny in recent years, but environmental regulations against them have mainly paid attention to sources such as industrial facilities, landfills and consumer products like certain cookware and paints.
New research published in the peer-reviewed journal Environmental Health Perspectives said that pesticides used on crops including corn, wheat, spinach, apples and strawberries – and other sources such as insect sprays and pet flea treatment- can now be added to the list.
"The more we look, the more we find it," co-author Alexis Temkin, a toxicologist at the non-profit Environmental Working Group, told Agence France-Presse (AFP).
He added, "And it just emphasizes the importance of cutting down on sources and really regulating these chemicals."
Research suggests that high levels of exposure to forever chemicals weaken human immune systems, making them less responsive to vaccines and more susceptible to infections.
There is also emerging evidence they may reduce fertility, lead to growth delays in children and interfere with the body's natural hormones.
For the new paper, the authors trawled public databases and carried out freedom of information requests to obtain information on both "active" and "inert" ingredients in pesticides.
Active ingredients are those that target pests, while those that are called inert are everything else. The latter are not required to be disclosed on the label even though they can increase the efficacy and persistence of the toxic active ingredient and can be toxic themselves.
The researchers uncovered a concerning trend: 14% of all U.S. pesticide active ingredients are PFAS, including nearly one-third of active ingredients approved in the past decade.
Eight approved inert ingredients in pesticides were PFAS, including the non-stick chemical known by the brand name Teflon.
The Teflon company that made non-stick pans with this chemical ended its use in 2013 and its elimination was tied in research to fewer low birth weight babies. In February, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced plans to ban its use of pesticides.
Study co-author David Andrews, a scientist at the non-profit Environmental Working Group, told AFP that part of the problem stemmed from a narrower definition of PFAS molecules by the EPA compared to that adopted by the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD).
Adding PFAS to pesticides makes them more powerful and longer lasting, Andrews told AFP, which could be another driving factor.
Forever chemicals were first developed in the 1940s and have now accumulated in the environment globally, entering the air, soil, groundwater, lakes and rivers.
More than 15,000 synthetic chemicals qualify as PFAS and their indestructibility arises from their carbon-fluorine bonds, which are one of the strongest types of bonds in organic chemistry.
--- Ends/Khalid
