THEY say nothing in this world lasts forever. Not even true love as others claim, hence the phrase "walang forever." The truth, however, is that there are things that really last, in the environment that is. There are man-made dangerous substances in this world that persist in the environment for a very long period of time, so long that they are called "forever chemicals."
These so-called forever chemicals are Per-and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), a group of man-made chemicals that includes PFOA, PFOS, GenX, and many others. According to the United States Environment Protection Agency, PFAS have been manufactured and used in a variety of industries around the globe, including in the United States since the 1940s. PFOA and PFOS are very persistent in the environment and in the human body. They don’t break down and they can accumulate over time.
These "forever chemicals" can be found in commercial household products, including stain- and water-repellent fabrics, nonstick products (e.g., Teflon), polishes, waxes, paints, cleaning products, and fire-fighting foams. They can also be found in the workplace, including production facilities or industries (e.g., chrome plating, electronics manufacturing or oil recovery) that use PFAS. They are widely used to coat paper and cardboard wrappers for fast food and bakery goods.
The Teflon in non-stick cooking pans is probably the most familiar to many. The fact that we ate food cooked from these pans is scary. It was in 1946 when DuPont introduced nonstick cookware coated with Teflon. It was now phased out in the US, but the effect remains. I read an article that says 99 percent of Americans have PFAS in their blood. Would it be the same for us Filipinos? There’s no study on that yet.
If humans, or animals, ingest PFAS by eating or drinking food or water that contains PFAS, the PFAS are absorbed and can accumulate in the body. PFAS stay in the human body for long periods. As a result, as people are exposed to PFAS from different sources over time, the level of PFAS in their bodies may increase to the point where they suffer from adverse health effects.
Studies indicate that PFOA and PFOS can cause reproductive and developmental, liver and kidney, and immunological effects in laboratory animals. Both chemicals have caused tumors in animal studies. The most consistent findings from human epidemiology studies are increased cholesterol levels among exposed populations, with more limited findings related to infant birth weights, effects on the immune system, cancer (for PFOA), and thyroid hormone disruption (for PFOS).
A study from the Environmental Working Group (EWG), a nonprofit advocacy organization, reveals that the drinking water of a majority of Americans likely contains "forever chemicals." We should also test our drinking water!
Ito ang forever na ayaw natin!