Your Guide to PFAS Reporting Requirements, Part 1: What Are PFAS?

If you have been following the news lately, you have probably come across the term “PFAS.” However, many people are not familiar with what PFAS are or the impact that they can have on humans and the environment.

Walden has published a guide that examines PFAS in detail. We discuss what they are, why they are in the news, and recent legislation requiring companies to perform a PFAS audit and reporting. Over the next few weeks, we will detail the contents of this guide on our blog. The complete guide is available for download here.

What Exactly Are PFAS?

First, you may be wondering what the term “PFAS” actually means. PFAS is an abbreviation for “per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances.”

PFAS are a group of long-lasting, manmade chemicals that are resistant to heat, grease, oil, and water. They are used in many consumer products and industrial processes. The United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) lists some common uses of PFAS as:

• Building and construction
• Cable and wiring
• Metal finishing
• Paper products and packaging
• Adhesives and coatings
• Non-stick cookware
• Printing ink
• Textiles, leather, waterproof jackets, latex gloves, carpet, furniture, etc.

How Can PFAS Impact Humans?

Scientific studies have shown that exposure to PFAS chemicals is linked to illnesses in humans and animals. In fact, according to EPA studies, exposure to certain levels of PFAS could adversely affect health and may lead to:

• Cancer
• Thyroid disease
• Increased cholesterol levels and risk of obesity
• Reduced immune response
• Developmental effects (low birth weight, bone variations, etc.)
• Decreased fertility

PFAS have been used in the U.S. since the 1940s. Still, it was not until the 1970s that authorities started to notice the overwhelming accumulation of PFAS in our environment and questioned their lasting effects on human health. Some occupational studies performed by various entities during this period found PFAS in the blood of exposed workers, and by the 1990s, PFAS was being detected in the blood of the general public.

The resiliency of PFAS chemicals and their tendency to remain in the environment (and in humans) for many, many years has led to them being referred to as “forever chemicals” and their recent classification as hazardous substances by the EPA.

Stay tuned for Part 2 of Walden’s PFAS guide to learn about actions that the EPA has taken to mitigate the impacts of these substances. If you are interested in additional reading, Walden’s previous blogs on PFAS are available here. Contact Walden’s expert environmental consulting team at 516-559-6976 to discuss PFAS further.