Poly Fluro Alkyl Substances (PFAS) are synthetic chemicals used in industrial and personal products. PFAS are also called as ‘forever chemicals’ because they have long half-life (not easily broken down) and hence persist in the environment, including human and animal tissues.

PFAS have been detected in blood of more than 98% of Americans and they can accumulate in the liver.

Be aware of PFAS – it is everywhere, including homes and offices. 

PFAS exposure occurs through diet, contaminated drinking water, skin contact from personal care products, including cosmetics, indoor and outdoor air pollution and during pregnancy and breastfeeding. 

There are around 12,00 types of PFAS that are mainly used for stain and water resistance, and hence found in furniture, carpet, textiles, food packaging, nonstick cookware, cosmetics, and firefighting foam.

Occupational (work-related) exposures also occur, as with fire training.  

A team led by Anna Young at Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, in Boston, analyzed building dust in classrooms and common campus spaces to measure PFAS levels.

The Harvard team found that PFAS concentrations in dust were 66% lower in the 12 rooms with healthier materials. Organic fluorine levels were also lower in the healthier spaces.

Research shows that PFAS may be found in low and potentially non-hazardous levels in the environment; however, their presence in common products and build-up in the human body raises significant safety and toxicity concerns.

Some steps one could take at home or office to reduce exposure to PFAS and subsequent health risks:

  • filter drinking water
  • check labels for PFAS chemicals on product packages to know what to avoid
  • avoid cooking in non-stick cookware
  • minimize use of PFAS containing food packaging most likely to be found in recyclable paper, glass, bamboo etc.
  • avoid personal care and cosmetic products containing PFAS
  • do not use water-resistant makeup
  • avoid or minimize processed foods, including fast foods
  • make popcorn on the stove-top or air pop instead of microwave popcorn
  • clean regularly to avoid build-up of dust indoors
  • avoid stain-resistant and water-resistant fabric

Accumulation of PFAS in the body are associated with:

  • Diseases of liver, thyroid, kidney.
  • Reproductive health though the findings are inconsistent (delayed start of the menstrual cycle, irregular or longer cycles, early onset of menopause, and hormonal imbalances of estrogen and androgens).
  • Ongoing research points PFAS as a cause of an increased risk of testicular and kidney cancers.

The researchers emphasized the importance of eliminating unnecessary chemicals and making healthier furnishings and carpet. They said manufacturers should also provide chemical lists for these “healthier” materials that are verified by an outside source.

Having homes and offices with “healthier” furnishings could reduce exposure to PFAS.

MSME (Micro Small Medium Enterprises) business owners who have no access to OH physician can make the office healthier by identifying PFAS containing fabrics and other items and taking steps as above to reduce exposure to PFAS and subsequent health risks to employees as well as themselves. After all the business owners also spend time in their office premises. The business owners can spread the awareness to all their employees who can take the message home.  

In large offices that have access to OH physician, similar steps must be taken along with admin teams to create a healthy office by reducing PFAS to ALARP (as low as reasonably practicable).

Making the office healthier can be a part of wellness initiative as well and sessions to create awareness about dangers of PFAS and encouraging the employees to identify it in fabrics and other objects in their homes will help reduce PFAS levels to ALARP. This will benefit the health of the entire family with future health issues.

PFAS is an example where it is not the work or the working condition but the workplace that is impacting health of the worker or the inhabitants in a room due to a chemical substance. PFAS may be a silent killer, and sooner we realize the better it is to prevent a lot of diseases.  

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Dr Ajay Sati is an Occupational Health physician who prefers to describe himself as an Occupationist, to denote, ‘an expert in diseases and other concerns of occupations’. Dr Sati has managed health and wellness programs in industries he worked, like the atomic energy, and energy (oil & gas) in India and overseas. An experienced virtual consultation expert he was involved in many greenfield and brownfield projects providing inputs from health point of view. He is currently involved in a health startup independently.