‘Forever Chemicals’ Are in Your Popcorn—and Your Blood
WiredNext time you pick up a pizza from your favorite pizzeria and toss the box in your front seat, think about why the grease doesn’t saturate through the cardboard onto your upholstery. As is so often the case with environmental issues, while steps have been taken to protect Americans from some PFAS chemicals, environmental health advocates and scientists say they don’t go far enough. From that federal data set, known as NHANES, they discovered that people who reported eating microwave popcorn had significantly higher levels of four types of PFAS chemicals, according to a study published in Environmental Health Perspectives. The study also linked PFAS levels in blood to a diet high in shellfish, which can accumulate those chemicals from contaminated water. One limitation of the research: It measured PFAS chemicals used in past years, while current exposures are more likely to be versions that don’t persist as long in the blood—but are also less well-studied.
History of this topic
More people are drinking toxic “forever chemicals” than ever, EPA report finds
Salon
Chemicals in tap water may explain disease explosion in young people - how bad is it in YOUR county?
Daily Mail
PFAS: Chemicals that are everywhere and could affect your health
CNN
Your microwave popcorn bags are full of harmful "forever chemicals"
Salon
Pressure growing to remove ‘forever chemicals’ from fast-food wrappers
LA Times
Scientists Dig Into Hard Questions About The Fluorinated Pollutants Known As PFAS
NPRDiscover Related
