Not very long ago, it would have been hard to imagine chemicals playing a key role in a primetime ITV drama.
But our concern about river pollution is now so great that a major plot line in the new series of After The Flood sees locals detecting “forever chemicals” in the river and hunting down the culprit.
There are about 15,000 of these chemicals, technically known as per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), and they are used in a wide range of products – including clothing, cookware and cosmetics. They are prized for their non-stick properties and their indestructibility, making everyday products stain- and water-resistant. But that also means they can take centuries to break down in soil or water.
When it comes to health risks, scientists have only really scratched the surface. Many PFAS are extremely rare or unlikely to cause any harm. But others are toxic and much more prevalent. The Drinking Water Inspectorate says that the levels of PFAS detected in some water abstracted for drinking “has no acute or immediate impact on human health,” and the Government says there’s no evidence that PFAS concentration has exceeded its safety guidelines.
Yet prolonged exposure to PFAS has been linked to health problems, such as kidney cancer, pregnancy complications and suppressed immune systems. They are also known to disrupt reproduction, metabolism and development in fish, have been linked to impacts on immune, blood and kidney function in bottlenose dolphins and have even been connected to neurological impacts on polar bears. “PFAS pose substantial risk to human health and the environment,” Professor Mohamed Abdallah, associate professor in Persistent Organic Pollutants at Birmingham University, told me.
So what can you do to reduce your exposure to these chemicals? Scientists say that filtering them out of our tap water is the best way to do it. Putting your tap water into a jug with a carbon filter, such as those produced by Brita, can help a great deal, with a Birmingham University study showing they remove between 81 and 96 per cent of 10 widespread forever chemicals.
And they don’t cost a huge amount. The jug will typically set you back somewhere between £15 and £25, and a filter that can filter up to 150 litres in four weeks costs around £4. Be sure to check for a mention of PFAS in the product description when you buy them.
If your fridge has a built-in water filter, then putting in a carbon filter will have a similar result. Boiling the water after filtration also helps, but doesn’t make a huge amount of difference and is a much less effective measure than jug filters. And natural mineral water (but not other kinds of bottled water) has significantly fewer PFAS than tap water. But again, a filter is much cheaper.
There is another kind of filtration system which works even better than jug filters, but which is considerably more expensive and high-maintenance. Known as reverse osmosis, this is a system of pipes, tanks and filters that needs specialist installation and ongoing maintenance. And it can cost between £250 and £1,500 to buy and get plumbed in under the sink.
Aside from filters, there are some other measures we can take to reduce our exposure. When buying carpets and sofas, save money and don’t take out the additional stain-proofing option unless there is a guaranteed PFAS-free option. And avoiding takeaways in disposable packaging will probably reduce your exposure to forever chemicals.
The chemicals are also found in lots of non-stick cookware. It makes little sense to dispose of all your pots and pans immediately. But once the non-stick coating starts to flake, it will be shedding significant amounts of forever chemicals and that would be a good time to replace them with PFAS-free options such as ceramic, stainless steel or cast iron.
Thankfully, our growing awareness of forever chemicals means that things are changing, but not nearly fast enough.
Since Brexit, the UK has fallen behind the EU when it comes to regulating forever chemicals. The EU monitors a wider range of substances and is currently considering a full ban on forever chemicals. Meanwhile, countries such as France and Denmark have introduced bans on the sale of cosmetics and clothes made with PFAS.
For its part, the UK said this month that it would step up actions to monitor, research and understand the impacts of forever chemicals – in part in response to The i Paper‘s Save Britain’s Rivers campaign. But while this is seen as a good step in the right direction, it doesn’t go nearly far enough.
We cannot afford to wait to take action until we know every last detail about the health effects of all of these chemicals, as that would take years. We already know enough to see that the UK needs to exercise the “precautionary principle” – as the EU is doing.
We need a timetable for ending everyday uses for which affordable alternatives are already available and a commitment to match the EU’s proposed broad ban on the use and manufacture of all PFAS.
In the meantime, there’s no point in panicking. We simply don’t know enough yet about the dangers of forever chemicals. But a jug filter, in particular, may give you some peace of mind.
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