Organizations around the world are becoming extremely wary of Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, otherwise known as PFAS or forever chemicals. They have garnered increasing attention due to their widespread presence and potential health risks. That’s why thoroughly understanding PFAS chemicals is critical for any organization whose goal is to protect their employees, customers, as well as the environment.
Read on as we explore:
- What is PFAS
- What are the potential health risks
- Regulations surrounding PFAS chemicals
- 3 ways to control them in your organization
Understanding PFAS Chemicals
First things first: What is PFAS? PFAS refers to a group of man-made chemicals characterized by their unique chemical structure: fluorine atoms bonded to carbon atoms. This chemical composition results in certain properties, such as oil and water repellency, heat resistance, and durability. As a result, PFAS chemicals have been used within various industrial and consumer products, including non-stick cookware, stain-resistant fabrics, firefighting foams, and food packaging.
What are the potential health risks?
Forever chemicals can pose several health risks to your teams, which makes eliminating them from the workplace of the utmost importance. Developmental and reproductive toxicity, immune system dysfunction, liver damage, and certain types of cancer have all been linked to PFAS chemicals, according to the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
What’s more, is they can linger in the human body for extended periods, leading to long-term health consequences. Vulnerable populations, such as pregnant women, infants, and individuals with pre-existing health conditions, may be particularly susceptible to the harmful effects of PFAS exposure.
Regulatory Landscape and Compliance
Because of these potential health risks as well as damage forever chemicals may cause to the environment, governments around the world have enacted regulations to better protect workers and the planet. These regulations encompass a range of factors, including restrictions on production and use, environmental monitoring requirements, and remediation obligations for contaminated sites. In the United States, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has taken steps to regulate PFAS under various statutes, such as the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) and the Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA).
That’s right! Forever chemicals have even been found in drinking water! According to the United States Geological Survey (USGS) which released a report in 2023, 45% of the country’s tap water may contain at least one or several types of forever chemicals.
3 Ways Your Organization Can Stay Ahead of PFAS Chemicals
Despite the knowledge that forever chemicals can be found all around us, there is a way to keep your employees and the environment safe from harm! To do this, employers must make sure they control employee exposure by eliminating or substituting PFAS chemicals from the workplace.
We’ve come up with three things you can do to help today:
1. Locate products that may contain PFAS chemicals in your organization
The first step is to locate any and all items which may contain PFAS chemicals. They can be found by reading the product’s safety data sheet. Go to section 3 of the SDS which contains information on the ingredients of the substance. There, find the term “perfluorinated surfactants” or “flourinated” which signifies forever chemicals.
As mentioned earlier, obvious culprits include anything which is heat and water resistant, foam within fire extinguishers, as well as fluorinated refrigerants and gaskets within refrigeration, cooling, and heating systems.
2. Substitute and eliminate them from the workplace
Next, it's time to implement methods to minimize exposure and prevent environmental contamination. You can do this by eliminating them entirely from the organization by opting for alternative chemicals with less harmful effects to your teams and the environment.
Communicate your plans to your teams and come up with a timeline for when these products will be phased out entirely. There’s not harm in implementing employee training programs to raise awareness of PFAS hazards and safe handling practices during this process as well.
3. Utilize technology to help simplify the process
This can seem like a challenging process, but you don’t have to do it on your own! In today’s world, technology has empowered organizations to streamline their capabilities for PFAS risk assessment and management. One way to do this is through chemical substitution software.
This is an innovative solution which helps organizations, like yours, digitize and centralize all existing chemicals in one platform, making it simpler to filter down to substances which may contain PFAS chemicals. Once all key substances are identified, you can easily find and compare substitutes with a comprehensive comparison grid. It’s that simple!
Secure a future that’s safe for your people and the planet
It’s time to protect your employees and the surrounding environment from any and all risks related to hazardous substances. Whether it’s PFAS chemicals or others, using a multi-faceted approach to minimize exposure or remove them entirely from the workplace is key for any organization.
Need some help getting started? Check out our guide, How to Manage Hazardous Chemicals in the Workplace, to help you navigate the complex world of chemical safety, which includes a 6-step handy checklist you can follow.