What are PFAS and how are they dangerous for my health?
Per- and polyfluorinated alkyl substances (PFAS) are a large group of synthetic substances produced in many places around the world. PFAS are very stable. This means that they break down very little in the environment. This also increases the concentrations in humans and the environment.
Some PFAS bioaccumulate in the food chain, which means that the levels increase for each link in the chain of animals that eat animals, that eat animals, etc. Other PFAS are mobile in water and follow rivers, lakes, and groundwater, and can end up in drinking water for both animals and humans.
These substances are often referred to as 'forever chemicals' due to their extreme persistence in the environment and within our bodies. They have the potential to cause a variety of health issues, including liver damage, thyroid disease, obesity, fertility problems, and cancer.
PFAS can be found in Non-stick cookware, food packaging, stain- and water-resistant fabrics, fire-fighting foam, industrial sites, drinking water, cleaning products, cosmetics, electronics and synthetics refrigerants.
Norway, along with Sweden, Denmark, the Netherlands, and Germany, has developed a proposal to ban the entire group of per- and polyfluorinated substances (PFAS) and it is already having a significant effect on demand from contractors and end customers even before a possible ban is adopted. That the ban is coming is certain, it is just a question of when.
Read more about the ban at https://echa.europa.eu/-/echa-publishes-pfas-restriction-proposal.
