Band-Aids may expose you to dangerous ‘forever chemicals’

Bandages used on open wounds could comprise poisonous polyfluoroalkyl or perfluoroalkyl chemical compounds, collectively often known as PFAS. Mamavation, in partnership with Environmental Well being Information, examined quite a lot of bandage manufacturers and located that greater than half contained indicators of PFAS.¹

Bandages are simply the newest shopper product found to comprise toxins. Also known as “ceaselessly chemical compounds,” PFAS are artificial compounds which are extraordinarily persistent within the setting and people, that means they don’t break down and might construct up over time.

Identified for smoothing surfaces, PFAS are present in a variety of merchandise, together with non-stick pans, stain-resistant materials and waterproof clothes, in addition to in sure grease, water and oil-resistant cosmetics and merchandise, together with meals packaging. Now, it seems that your bandages could also be contaminated, too.

Do your bandages comprise PFAS?

Mamavation despatched 40 bandages from 18 manufacturers to an EPA-certified laboratory for testing. These bandages are bought from shops like Walmart, CVS, Ceremony Assist, Goal, or Amazon. Indicators of PFAS had been present in 65% of the bandages examined. As well as, 26 of the 40 samples examined confirmed ranges of natural fluorine, a marker for PFAS, above 10 components per million (ppm).

“Ten components per million is the restrict of detection, which is a big quantity,” examine writer Terrence Collins, a professor of chemistry at Carnegie Mellon College, informed Time. “We all know that there is no such thing as a secure dose for endocrine disruptors. They intervene with hormonal management.”²

Collins says it is potential that these chemical compounds can seep into the physique not solely by pads positioned over open wounds, but in addition by adhesive flaps and into the pores and skin. “You must assume that the physique has an affinity for a number of PFAS compounds.”³

Amongst bandages marketed to individuals with black or brown pores and skin tones, 63% contained proof of PFAS, with 10 of 16 bandages detecting natural fluorine ranges above 10 ppm. General, the organofluorine content material in bandages ranged from 11 ppm to 328 ppm.⁴

“As a result of bandages are positioned over open wounds, it’s troubling that they could additionally expose kids and adults to PFAS,” stated Linda Birnbaum, emeritus scientist and former director of the Nationwide Institute of Environmental Well being Sciences. (Linda Birnbaum) stated. “It’s clear from the information that PFAS usually are not required for wound care, so the trade should remove their presence to guard the general public from PFAS and choose PFAS-free supplies.”⁵

Whereas laboratory testing didn’t separate the adhesive from the bandage, PFAS was detected within the bandage’s adhesive, adhesive sheet, and absorbent pad. “Even in case you assume it is a small danger, you add up loads of small dangers, [and] You’ve loads of publicity,” stated Phil Brown, director of the Institute for Social Sciences Environmental Well being at Northeastern College.⁶

Bandage producers resembling Band-Assist, Care Science, Curad and CVS Well being have the very best ranges of PFAS, however the ranges fluctuate broadly, even amongst completely different merchandise made by the identical model.

Contact lenses and different sources of PFAS that will shock you

Bandages are simply one of many methods individuals are typically uncovered to PFAS. Earlier testing by Mamavation has revealed the presence of PFAS in quite a lot of merchandise, together with:⁷

When Mamavation despatched 18 contact lens manufacturers to an EPA-certified laboratory, the entire lenses examined constructive for fluoride, with ranges starting from 105 to twenty,700 ppm. 44% of the contact lenses examined had a fluorine content material of greater than 4,000 ppm, and 22% had a fluorine content material of greater than 18,000 ppm.⁸ The contact lenses with the very best organofluorine content material are:⁹

• Alcon Air Optix Colours with Smartshield Know-how (20,700 ppm)
• Alcon Total30 each day put on contact lenses (20,400 ppm)
• Alcon Air Optix (with out Hydraglide) for astigmatism (20,000 ppm)

What does this imply on your well being? Pete Myers, chief scientist for environmental well being sciences, stated:¹⁰

“The idea that the degrees of organofluorine measured in touch lenses are secure is laughable. Final summer season, the EPA issued ingesting well being advisories for 4 frequent PFAS, starting from 0.004 components per trillion (ppt) to 2,000 ppt. EPA believes Exposures beneath these thresholds be sure that ingesting water is secure.

Whereas evaluating the concentrations in ingesting water to these in touch lenses is like evaluating apples to oranges, it is price noting that the entire contact lenses examined had concentrations in extra of 100 ppm, which is equal to 100,000,000 ppt, or greater than The very best stage thought-about secure in the US is 50,000 occasions larger.

Birnbaum additional informed Mamavation:¹¹

“Your eyes are one of the delicate components of your physique. Subsequently, it’s regarding to see the presence of organofluorides, that are possible a kind of PFAS and are current in all gentle contact lens merchandise examined. So no How about this? Do now we have proof that these merchandise are secure?

Analysis on PFAS and imaginative and prescient is noteworthy. A big population-based examine in China discovered that publicity to PFAS will increase the danger of visible impairment.¹² Researchers consider that PFAS could induce oxidative stress and have dangerous results on the eyes.

They defined: “PFAS has been proven to be a pro-oxidant, and publicity to those rising pollution could cause DNA injury, lipid peroxidation, manufacturing of reactive species (ROS) and inhibition of antioxidant enzymes, and set off signaling cascades resembling apoptosis. response.¹³ Service members uncovered to PFAS on army bases additionally endure from quite a lot of eye circumstances, together with nearsightedness, farsightedness, astigmatism and presbyopia.¹⁴

Most kale is completely contaminated with chemical compounds

The PFAS class consists of greater than 12,000 chemical compounds. “What holds these chemical compounds collectively is the presence of the carbon-fluorine bond, one of many strongest bonds in chemistry. This energy can be the supply of the hazards of those chemical compounds: PFAS chemical compounds are extremely persistent within the setting, and It has been accumulating in soil, and ANH-USA says waterways and oceans have been affected for many years.¹⁵

Publicity to PFAS is widespread, with PFAS present in 97% of Individuals.¹⁶ In people, the half-life of PFAS is 2 to 5 years.^{quantity 17} The U.S. Meals and Drug Administration (FDA) is testing meals within the basic meals provide to estimate the degrees of PFAS to which U.S. shoppers are uncovered.¹⁸

To raised perceive how prevalent PFAS contamination is within the meals provide, ANH-USA analyzed samples of conventionally grown and natural kale from 4 states: New York, Georgia, Pennsylvania and Arizona. Two samples had been bought from shops in every state, some as unfastened leaves and a few prepackaged in plastic luggage or containers.

Of the eight samples, just one had no detectable PFAS. The very best ranges of complete PFAS had been present in conventionally grown kale bought at Publix shops in Georgia. General, nonetheless, the natural kale samples had larger ranges of PFAS than the standard samples.¹⁹

The European Meals Security Authority (EFSA) has set a suitable weekly consumption of PFAS at 4.4 nanograms/kg of physique weight. “Troublingly, that is equal to consuming two servings (67 grams every) of kale per week and comprises the identical quantity present in Publix shops (GA), which implies something over this quantity (from all sources) consumption would quantity to a possible well being danger,” ANH-USA stated.²⁰

Alarming ranges of PFAS have additionally been present in quite a lot of different meals, resembling peanut butter, pasta sauce and cooking oils.^{twenty one} In one other examine, leafy greens grown inside 10 miles of PFAS vegetation contained excessive ranges of PFAS, and even chocolate cake was contaminated.^{twenty two}

One of many causes of contamination of the meals provide has to do with biosolids, poisonous human waste sludge, which may be contaminated with PFAS, which is marketed as an inexpensive fertilizer and unfold on farmland.^{twenty three} Water provides and waterways can be contaminated, so consuming even one freshwater fish per 12 months may be harmful.^{twenty 4}

PFAS publicity could trigger most cancers, reproductive results and extra

PFAS could trigger most cancers by inflicting modifications in epigenetics, immunosuppression, oxidative stress, irritation, or by hormonal and metabolomic pathways. The buildup of epigenetic occasions attributable to PFAS publicity can “synergistically amplify tumorigenicity and most cancers development,” the researchers defined, including that immune system suppression and continual irritation might also play a job.²⁵

Publicity to excessive ranges of PFAS can be recognized to have an effect on the immune system, and proof from human and animal research means that such publicity could cut back your resistance to infectious illnesses.²⁶ The EPA additionally acknowledges that publicity to PFAS is dangerous, noting that peer-reviewed scientific analysis exhibits that publicity to PFAS could trigger:²⁷

Suggestions for decreasing PFAS publicity

As a result of PFAS has no style or scent, you may’t detect it in shopper merchandise. Filtering ingesting water is essential to keep away from this frequent route of publicity, as is avoiding using anti-stain, waterproof or non-stick merchandise (most of which comprise PFAS). To additional cut back your publicity, the Environmental Working Group recommends avoiding:²⁸

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