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Legislative Approaches:

Restrictions on Manufacturing and Importing:

Bans: Some states have created bans on certain PFAS chemicals which is to prevent PFAS pollution.

Phased-Out Use: The FDA announced that "grease-proofing substances containing PFAS are no longer being sold for food contact use in the U.S. market, following a voluntary market phase-out by manufacturers."

Reporting and Transparency: Manufacturers are required to report "PFAS usage and monitor releases" into the environment which will help track and manage these chemicals.

Drinking Water Standards: The EPA is "proposing to regulate PFAS as a mixture under a hazard index approach, requiring public water systems to monitor, notify the public", and reduce exposure levels if PFAS exceed limits.

Food Safety Regulations: The FDA "regulates PFAS used in food contact applications and has announced the market phase-out of grease-proofing substances containing PFAS."

Cost of Cleanup: Contaminated sites "require costly cleanup efforts."

Innovation: "The push for safer alternatives can drive innovation in materials and technologies."

Links:

Trends in the Regulation of Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS): A Scoping Review - PMC

FDA, Industry Actions End Sales of PFAS Used in US Food Packaging | FDA

Understanding, Controlling, and Preventing Exposure to PFAS - NCBI Bookshelf

Exploring the Universe of PFAS Regulation and Litigation – Publications

Key EPA Actions to Address PFAS | US EPA

Scientific Basis for Managing PFAS as a Chemical Class - PMC

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Awareness of PFAS plays a big role in consumer choices and trust in products marked as sustainable or biodegradable. As more and more consumers are informed about PFAS in the daily products that they purchase, they are becoming more alert and careful with the products that they buy and might seek to buy other types of products.

"One major concern is the discovery that many supposedly eco-friendly products contain PFAS, leading to skepticism and distrust."

"In response, consumers are demanding greater transparency and stricter regulations. Many are shifting towards brands that clearly disclose their ingredients and prioritize safety. Companies that fail to address PFAS concerns risk losing consumer trust and long-term brand loyalty. The growing public pressure is pushing industries to eliminate PFAS and adopt truly sustainable alternatives."

Links:

https://www.ft.com/content/be9d854c-9caf-461d-b612-80efaf438aa3?utm_source

https://nypost.com/2024/11/14/health/chipotle-trader-joes-and-15-more-in-toxic-hall-of-shame-for-chemicals/?utm_source

https://www.businessinsider.com/toxic-chemicals-in-shein-and-other-fast-fashion-clothing-2022-8?utm_source

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Investigate how PFAS from discarded biodegradable products affect soil and water quality, and their potential bioaccumulation in wildlife.  

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Investigate how PFAS from discarded biodegradable products affect soil and water quality, and their potential bioaccumulation in wildlife.  

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PFAS are a group of chemicals that don’t break down easily in the environment. Because of the strong carbon-fluorine bond, they are often called “forever chemicals.” They’ve been used in many daily products to make them resistant to water, grease, or stains, including things that are supposed to be biodegradable, like paper straws, takeout boxes, and compostable plates.

When people throw away these products, they end up in landfills or the environment. Over time, PFAS can leak out and get into the soil and water. Once PFAS are in the soil, they might enter different water sources, such as the groundwater, rivers, and lakes. These chemicals don’t dissolve well in water, so they stay around for a long time and travel further from the original source.

Wildlife, like fish, birds, and even deer, can absorb PFAS from the water or food they eat. Over time, these chemicals build up in their bodies, causing bioaccumulation. This can lead to health problems for animals, such as liver damage, lower fertility, and behavior changes. Because people eat fish and animals that might have PFAS in them, the chemicals can move through the food chain and end up in humans too.

"PFAS are found in water, air, fish, and soil at locations across the nation and the globe."

"Scientific studies have shown that exposure to some PFAS in the environment may be linked to harmful health effects in humans and animals."

"The chemicals were detected in 18 out of 20 brands. Four out of five bamboo straws sampled contained PFAS, compared to three out of four plastic straws and two out of five glass straws. All five stainless steel straws analyzed were PFAS-free."

Sources:

https://www.epa.gov/pfas/pfas-explained

https://www.nbcnews.com/health/health-news/paper-bamboo-straws-contain-pfas-forever-chemicals-rcna101614

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Analyze whether PFAS content hinders the decomposition process of biodegradable products, potentially leading to prolonged environmental persistence.

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Analyze whether PFAS content hinders the decomposition process of biodegradable products, potentially leading to prolonged environmental persistence.

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As biodegradable products were designed to break down naturally over time with the help of air, water, and tiny organisms like bacteria. These products are made to be more environmentally friendly than plastic. But when PFAS are added to these products to make them water or oil resistant, it changes how they break down.

PFAS chemicals form a kind of film around the product. This layer makes it harder for water and bacteria to get inside and start the breakdown process. Because of this, a biodegradable item that should break down in a few weeks or months might last much longer. That means it can hang around in landfills or compost sites for years, contradicting the point of being biodegradable.

Also, even when these products do eventually break down, they don’t fully disappear. Instead, they leave behind PFAS in the soil or compost. That contaminated compost might be used on farms or in gardens, which spreads PFAS even more.

"Researchers found that seven facilities that accepted compostable food containers had PFAS concentrations from about 29 to 76 micrograms per kilogram of compost, while compost from facilities that didn’t accept food containers contained less than 8 micrograms of compost per kilogram of compost."

"What’s worse, manufacturers don’t have to disclose to consumers that they’re using them and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) doesn’t regulate or test for most PFAS chemicals."

Sources:

https://coastalreview.org/2019/09/pfas-found-in-biodegradable-food-packaging/

https://www.nrdc.org/stories/forever-chemicals-called-pfas-show-your-food-clothes-and-home

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Assess the extent to which PFAS can migrate from products into beverages and food and the possible health implications of chronic exposure through this pathway.

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Assess the extent to which PFAS can migrate from products into beverages and food and the possible health implications of chronic exposure through this pathway.

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PFAS can migrate from food contact materials, such as paper straws, food wrappers, takeout containers, and compostable plates, into the food and beverages they touch. This migration is especially likely when the food or drink is hot, fatty, acidic, or stored for a long time. PFAS are not chemically bonded to the packaging, so they can leach into the parts through heat, moisture, and oil exposure.

Research has confirmed that this migration can occur in real-world conditions. For example:

A study by the FDA detected PFAS in various packaged foods, including microwave popcorn and fast food.

Once PFAS enter the body through ingestion, they are not easily broken down. Instead, they can remain in the blood for years, accumulating over time, ending up with bioaccumulation. This chronic exposure to PFAS, even in small amounts, has been linked to a range of health issues, including:

Cancer: Increased risk of kidney, testicular, breast, and thyroid cancers

Immune system suppression: Reduced ability to fight infections and weaker vaccine response

Hormonal disruption: Interference with thyroid function and reproductive hormones

Liver damage: Elevated liver enzymes and liver stress

Increased cholesterol: Higher levels of “bad” cholesterol

Developmental problems: Low birth weight and delayed development in infants and children

Chronic PFAS exposure is extremely concerning because people can be exposed from multiple sources daily, such as drinking water, packaged food, and household products, causing a huge health burden over time.

"PFAS are a diverse group of thousands of chemicals that resist grease, oil, water and heat. The FDA has authorized certain PFAS for limited use in cookware, food packaging and food processing equipment. Exposure to some types of PFAS have been linked to serious health effects."

"Exposure to certain types PFAS have been linked to serious health effects, including but not limited to, increased cholesterol levels, increases in high-blood pressure and pre-eclampsia in pregnant women, developmental effects, decreases in immune response, changes in liver function, and increases in certain types of cancer."

Sources:

https://www.fda.gov/news-events/press-announcements/fda-industry-actions-end-sales-pfas-used-us-food-packaging

https://www.fda.gov/food/environmental-contaminants-food/and-polyfluoroalkyl-substances-pfas

https://www.fda.gov/food/process-contaminants-food/questions-and-answers-pfas-food

https://dceg.cancer.gov/research/what-we-study/pfas#:~:text=There%20has%20been%20concern%20over,of%20the%20kidney%20and%20testis.