This is how one company secretly poisoned the entire planet with a chemical that was hidden in an everyday item.
It has since contaminated the whole world after the chemical was invented by one employee at an American company, named DuPont.
Known as Perfluoroalkyl and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS), these are long lasting chemicals that can take a whopping 1,000 years to break down.
This is partly due to the fact that these types of chemicals are resistant to water, oil, grease and heat and it’s thought that there are around 12,000 PFAS throughout the planet.
What products contain PFAS?
Due to their resilience, these chemicals have been used in the past to make items such as cleaning products, food packaging, non-stick pans, stain-resistant fabrics, electronics, furniture and others.
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However, there is a certain product that almost everyone has in their home that contains PFAS - a refrigerator.
So, where does DuPont come in?
The company invented these chemicals as they tried to come up with a less toxic alternative than the refrigerants methyl chloride and sulfur dioxide.
Roy J. Plunkett was the scientist charged with finding a safer way to cool foods in households throughout the US and was experimenting with tetrafluoroethylene (TFE) - which is a pair of double carbons each bonded to two fluorine atoms.
However, when carrying out one specific test on the compound, he found that it had spontaneously polymerized into a white, waxy solid - having been a colorless gas prior.
In 1945, DuPont trademarked the chemical ‘Teflon’, then just three years later, the firm was producing two million pounds of the chemical each year.
In 1951, DuPont created perfluorooctanoic (PFOA) acid, which is often referred to as C8 due to its compound holding eight carbon molecules.
C8, which is a type of PFA, went on to be used to manufacture clingfilm, pizza boxes, electrical cables, food wrappers and more.
How can PFAS impact humans?
These minuscule chemicals are found in the blood of most people and animals around the world, as well as in food products.
But according to the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), exposure to PFAS can lead to harmful consequences on a person’s health.
The agency explains that peer-reviewed scientific studies have found that exposure to them can lead to reproductive effects, like decreased fertility and an increased high blood pressure in pregnancy.
It can also cause developmental issues for children, including bone variations, behavioral changes, accelerated puberty and low birth weights, as well as increasing the risk of some cancers, like kidney, prostate and testicular versions of the disease.
In a statement on the DuPont website, it reads: “In June 2019, DuPont de Nemours, Inc. (DuPont) was established as a new multi-industrial specialty products company. DuPont de Nemours has never manufactured PFOA, PFOS or firefighting foam.
“While DuPont is not a PFAS commodity chemical manufacturer, it does use select PFAS compounds within industrial processes pursuant to relevant environmental, health and safety rules and standards. Such uses are necessary to impart specific product performance criteria and only in products that are essential to safety and the critical functioning of society.
“Our use of PFAS is limited and is managed as a Substance of Concern (SoC) consistent with the company’s Chemical Management Policy – Substance of Concern. We are currently pursuing alternatives to PFAS where possible.”
It continues: “Additionally, we have rigorous systems, processes, and protocols in place to ensure that PFAS are used safely, are controlled to the highest standards, and are minimized in our operations.
“We support science-based efforts to develop guidelines for PFAS and commit to meeting these requirements in our global operations. We will continue to ensure our products and processes are fully compliant with laws and regulations on PFAS.
“Safety, health and protecting the planet are core values at DuPont. We are committed to continuous improvement of our chemical stewardship process and to upholding the highest standards for the safe operation of facilities and the protection of our environment, our employees, our customers, and the people of the communities in which we do business.”