the dangers of hidden chemicals in our daily lives
what do a pizza box, a polar bear and you have in common ?
all carry a kind of industrial toxicant called poly-and perfluoroalkyl substances, or PFASs, that do two things: They make life convenient, and they also appear to increase the risk of cancer.
The scientists I interviewed say that they try to avoid these chemicals in their daily lives, but they’re pretty much unavoidable and now are found in animals all over the planet (including polar bears in Greenland and probably you and me).
PFASs are used to make nonstick frying pans, waterproof clothing, stain-resistant fabrics, fast-food wrappers, microwave popcorn bags, firefighting foam and thousands of other products.
Many are unlabelled, so even chemists sometimes feel helpless.