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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 from biodegradable products commonly infiltrate soil and leech onto the particles underground, making it more at risk for soil and agricultural contamination.

-Crops grown in contaminated soil can be affected which can lead to it harming animals or humans that consume these organisms.

-Furthermore, once one organism consumes a contaminated crop, this can lead to a domino affect of it spreading throughout the food chain and affecting many more species down the line and possibly wavering the food chain itself.

SOURCES:

https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7906948/

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2949919424000694

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PFAS Exposure Pathways for Humans and Wildlife: A Synthesis of Current Knowledge and Key Gaps in Understanding

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Here we synthesize current understanding of the magnitudes and methods for assessing human and wildlife exposures to poly- and perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). Most human exposure assessments have focused on two to five legacy PFAS and wildlife…

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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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-PFAS are primarily made up of carbon-fluorine bonds, which are highly sturdy and firmly formed bonds known

-This results in them being highly resistant to the decomposition process in general as it affects the water absorption process and microbial formation, two crucial areas within the process

-The PFAS contamination in compost can limit the benefits of decomposition, leading to higher rates of pollution

SOURCES:

https://www.nature.com/articles/s41545-024-00427-1

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Balancing sustainability goals and treatment efficacy for PFAS removal from water - npj Clean Water

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npj Clean Water - Balancing sustainability goals and treatment efficacy for PFAS removal from water

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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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-There are several factors that can affect the extent to which PFAS chemicals can migrate into food and beverage products, first being high temperatures. Higher temperatures in products such as hot coffee cups, microwavable containers, etc. can lead to an increased risk of the chemicals being exposed

-Another factor that can affect the rate of PFAS contamination is acidity levels of foods and beverages. For example, beverages that contain higher levels of carbonation such as sodas, are more likely to have an increased rate of PFAS chemicals migrating from the packaging

-Another element that can affect the rate of PFAS chemicals contaminating foods and beverages can be the duration that the items are stored for. Longer periods of storage for certain packaging can increase the rate of contamination for these items.

-Exposure to PFAS chemicals over long periods of time have been linked to many health complications such as: development issues, immune system weakness, liver damage, cancer risk, reproductive system issues, and increased cholesterol/cardiovascular risks

SOURCES:

https://www.epa.gov/pfas/our-current-understanding-human-health-and-environmental-risks-pfas

https://www.nature.com/articles/s41538-024-00319-1

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Our Current Understanding of the Human Health and Environmental Risks of PFAS | US EPA

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Learn about EPA’s current understanding of the health risks of PFAS.

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Explore legislative approaches to limit or ban PFAS in food contact materials and the potential impact on public health and the environment.

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Explore legislative approaches to limit or ban PFAS in food contact materials and the potential impact on public health and the environment.

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-In the United States, the government has started banning certain long-chain PFAS in food/beverage packaging, but most short-chain PFAS are still used as alternatives

-Specific states such as California, have specifically banned PFAS in food packaging since the date of January 1st, 2023

-Others like New York and Washington placed similar bans to prohibit usage of PFAS in food-related materials and packaging as well

-Canada is still in a process of evaluation, determining the risks of PFAS before placing any permanent bans or restrictions

-Asia and a few other regions have recently put higher focus on the issue of PFAS, but are still monitoring the affects of them are have yet to take any action regarding the ban of these materials

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

https://perkinscoie.com/insights/update/pfas-and-food-packaging-state-regulation

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Although PFAS have been in use for more than 80 years, scientific understanding and technical instrumentation needed to test for PFAS at very low concentrations in food only began in the last 5 years. The FDA has been leading the science in developing validated methods for testing for PFAS in increasingly diverse types of foods. We are testing for extremely low levels of these chemicals-in the parts per trillion. We have extended our testing method to increase the number of PFAS that we can test for, informed by scientific literature, and select PFAS based on their expected uptake by foods and the availability of the chemical standards to accurately identify their presence.

The FDA is also expanding our research effort by using high resolution mass spectrometry (HRMS). This will allow us to determine which additional types of PFAS, beyond those we are specifically testing for with the current method, are present in foods and should be included in targeted methods going forward.

Most of our testing of the general food supply is of samples collected for the Total Diet Study (TDS). No PFAS have been detected in over 97% (785 out of 810) of the fresh and processed foods tested from the TDS. At least one type of PFAS was detected in 51% (19 out of 37) of the TDS seafood samples and in 74% (60 out of 81) of the samples from our 2022 targeted seafood survey. We are planning an additional targeted seafood survey in 2024.

For the samples where PFAS is detected, the FDA assess each type of PFAS for which there are toxicological reference values (TRVs). There are currently eight PFAS (PFOA, PFOS, PFNA, PFHxS, HFPO-DA ⌈GenX⌉, PFBS, PFBA, and PFHxA) for which there are toxicological reference values that are used to assess the potential human health concern for levels found in food due to environmental contamination. Currently, the FDA evaluates these PFAS individually in food samples; however, we are exploring approaches for evaluating samples with multiple PFAS detected. As the science continues to evolve on establishing additional TRVs and on cumulative exposure assessments, our conclusions related to the potential human health concerns for certain levels of PFAS found in food may change.

For more information on our testing method and approach to assessing dietary exposure and for results from our recent sampling, please see:

The FDA has authorized certain PFAS for use in specific food contact applications. Some PFAS are used in cookware, food packaging, and in food processing for their non-stick and grease, oil, and water-resistant properties. To ensure food contact substances are safe for their intended use, the FDA conducts a rigorous review of scientific data prior to their authorization for market entry. The FDA's authorization of a food contact substance requires that available data and information demonstrate that there is a reasonable certainty of no harm under the intended conditions of use.

The FDA reviews new scientific information on the authorized uses of food contact substances to ensure that these uses continue to be safe. When the FDA identifies potential safety concerns, the agency ensures that these concerns are addressed or that these substances are no longer used in food contact applications. For example, in 2020, in response to the FDA's post-market scientific review and analysis of data raising potential safety concerns about the toxicity of food contact substances containing short-chain PFAS with 6:2 fluorotelomer alcohol (6:2 FTOH), three manufacturers committed to a 3-year market phase-out of these substances and to cease all sales of these substances in the U.S. market by December 31, 2023. In February 2024, the FDA announced that grease-proofing substances containing PFAS are no longer being sold by manufacturers for food contact use in the U.S. market. The completion of the voluntary market phase-out of these substances used on food packaging paper and paperboard, eliminates the primary source of dietary exposure to PFAS from authorized food contact uses.

For more information on how the FDA regulates PFAS used in food contact applications and the market phase-out and withdrawals of certain PFAS, including annual updates from manufacturers, please see:

State Collaboration

The FDA works with states to identify and assess the safety of locally grown and produced foods from areas with known PFAS contamination. This support occurs at the request of the states and generally takes the form of assistance with analytical testing, method development, and safety assessment consultations. The FDA has provided on-going assistance to states in their assessment of several different kinds of foods including crops for human and animal food, and animal derived foods. As appropriate to the food type, this consultation may be provided in conjunction with other federal agencies.

In addition, as part of our technical assistance to states, the FDA is contributing to research to understand how PFAS is taken up by plants, and how PFAS concentrations vary between plants and parts of a plant. This is an area of research that may help us make significant reductions in PFAS exposure from food. For example, by studying PFAS uptake, researchers may help identify plants that can be safely grown in contaminated soil without PFAS uptake to the edible portion of the plant.

Federal Collaboration

The FDA has joined the government-wide approach led by the White House to further advance progress on securing clean air, safe food, and clean drinking water. Through this collaboration with other federal agencies, we will work to identify routes of PFAS exposure, understand associated health risks, and reduce the public's dietary exposure to PFAS that may pose a health risk.

For more information on the federal government's approach for reducing exposure to PFAS, please see:

What Are PFAS?

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are chemicals that resist grease, oil, water, and heat. They were first used in the 1940's and are now in hundreds of products including stain- and water-resistant fabrics and carpeting, cleaning products, paints, and fire-fighting foams. Certain PFAS are also authorized by the FDA for limited use in cookware, food packaging, and food processing equipment.

Chemically, individual PFAS can be very different. However, all have a carbon-fluorine bond, which is very strong and therefore, they do not degrade easily.

The widespread use of PFAS and their persistence in the environment means that PFAS from past and current uses have resulted in increasing levels of contamination of the air, water, and soil.

Accumulation of certain PFAS has also been shown through blood tests to occur in humans and animals. While the science surrounding potential health effects of bioaccumulation is developing, exposure to some types of PFAS have been associated with serious health effects.

Regulated Product(s)

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Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS)

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Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are a family of human-made chemicals that are found in a wide range of products used by consumers and industry.

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Investigate how awareness of PFAS content influences consumer choices and trust in products marketed as sustainable or biodegradable.  

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Investigate how awareness of PFAS content influences consumer choices and trust in products marketed as sustainable or biodegradable.  

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-The awareness brought to PFAS content in food/beverage packaging has resulted in many consumers feeling misled when buying products listed as "eco-friendly" or "biodegradable" as they later realize the packaging still contains harmful chemicals that can harm both the environment and consumers themselves

-The demand for certifications that confirm whether products and packaging are PFAS and chemical free are increasing as they are gaining more credibility and trust within consumers

-There are also changes in brand loyalty and swaps as brands who claim to be PFAS free and can prove so are more likely to gain and keep costumers as they are pleased and stay loyal. On the other hand, brands that have been proven to be dishonest about containing PFAS and harmful chemicals are more likely to lose a great amount of their costumers.

SOURCES:

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666154324004733