Catch the latest updates on what’s happening with PFAS in the Great Lakes region. Check back for more PFAS news roundups every other week on our website.
A new study out of Notre Dame shows that some smart watch wristbands, often labeled as waterproof, contain unusually high levels of “forever chemicals.” In a university press release, it was noted that nine out of the 22 bands tested, showed elevated levels of a per- and polyfluoroalkyl substance (PFAS). The version of the chemical, that comes from the family of PFAS, is known as perfluorohexanoic acid (PFHxA).
“The most remarkable thing we found in this study was the very high concentrations of just one PFAS — there were some samples above 1,000 parts per billion of PFHxA, which is much higher than most PFAS we have seen in consumer products,” coauthor of the study, Graham Peaslee said in a statement.
Peaslee also said that this discovery stands out because of how these high concentrations of PFAS come in prolonged contacts with our skin — since many people wear these watches all day and track their sleep throughout the night. For comparison, a previous study done by the same team of researchers found a median concentration of around 200 parts per billion of PFAS in cosmetics.
On January 6, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced that nine versions of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) will be subject to the agency’s Toxics Release Inventory (TRI). This means nine versions of PFAS will now be tracked annually, meaning manufacturers will report how much of each substance is released into the environment or managed as waste.
Another study done by New York University notes that some prescription drugs are polluting our waterways with PFAS. Pharmaceutical companies use these chemicals because they are so hard to degrade, which means it helps increase the concentration of the medication in people’s bodies — making it more effective.
On January 14, The Wisconsin Supreme Court heard oral arguments in a case that threatens to upend the Department of Natural Resources’ (DNR) authority around enforcing the state’s law around spills for things like PFAS. Leather Rich, joined the state’s largest business lobby, sued the DNR after they found the company responsible for cleaning up PFAS contamination on its property.
With Amara’s Law now in effect, companies are suing the state of Minnesota around their non-essential PFAS ban. Sen. Jen McEwen (D-Duluth) said in a statement:
“Unfortunately, it is not surprising that powerful corporate actors are seeking to undo Amara’s Law and other critical public health protections for Minnesotans. The Legislature saw the chemical industry and their special interest partners scramble to halt this legislation in 2023, when they flew in lobbyists from across the country to intimidate Minnesota legislators and kill the bill. Now these corporate actors have returned, this time through spurious lawsuits in our courts, in an attempt to strike down Minnesotan’s laws.”
More PFAS news in case you missed it:
- According to a recent study by The Nature Conservancy, 95% of people in Indiana agree that water is a public resource and that it needs to be protected.
- Michigan is investigating Kalamazoo County after moderate levels of “forever chemicals” were found in the drinking water near a wholesale plant grower.
- Several reporters at Le Monde collaborated to approximate how much it might cost to clean up PFAS in the European Union. Their optimistic estimate? Roughly €4.8 billion per year (about $5 billion USD).
- In a long-awaited report, the EPA finally put out a public warning that “forever chemicals” found in sewage sludge can pose human health risks.
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Featured image: Firefighting foam remains on the ground surface following a tanker truck accident. EPA tests show that aqueous film forming foam used to fight flammable liquid fires have contaminated area drinking water with PFAS. (Photo Credit: iStock)
