PFAs - Chemistry of the environment

PFAS is the abbreviation for

per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances

PFAS can be found in 

* drinking water
* fire extinguishing foam
* food
* personal care products
* etc

are PFAs naturally occurring?

NO! they are manufactured

What does current scientific research **suggest** about exposure to high levels of certain PFAS?

may lead to adverse health outcomes

Identifying the risk a chemical may pose to human health is a scientific process

* It involves how much a person comes in contact with the chemical
* It involves determining how much of a chemical is present in the environment
* It involves how how toxic or harmful the chemical is to people

According to the website, if a chemical is only moderately toxic but people are routinely exposed to it in high quantities, then the risk to human health may be…

high

Which agencies are contributing to research efforts on PFAs?

* EPA
* The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's (CDC) Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR)
* The National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS)
* The Food and Drug Administration (FDA)

you can limit your and other's exposure to PFAS by…

finding out if PFAS are in your drinking water

If you have questions or concerns about products you use in your home in relation to PFAs, you may…

* contact the Consumer Product Safety Commission's Consumer Ombudsman by calling [phone] 
* contact the Consumer Product Safety Commission's Consumer Ombudsman by emailing [e-mail]
* visit the Consumer Product Safety Commission's website