The intimate relationship you’re in with highly persistent and dangerous ‘forever chemicals’
If you’re at all interested in climate change, plastic pollution, or general sustainability, I’m sure you watched ABC’s War On Waste 3, which aired earlier this year. One of the major and most shocking topics covered in the three episode series was Per and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances – or PFAS, a group of about 15,000 synthetic chemicals that have been in commercial production since the 1940s to make surfaces resist stains, water and grease.
These chemicals are **everywhere**, including swimming in the bloodstream of most living creatures on the planet. PFAS have a laundry list of nasty repercussions, in addition to having been linked to cancer, liver problems, thyroid issues, birth defects, and other serious health problems; they are also resistant to heat and acid and do not naturally degrade in the environment.
Although War on Waste did a great job explaining what PFAS are and how to start avoiding them, I was left with one great, big, gnawing question.
Why was I only hearing about this now?
PFAS chemistry was first developed in the 1930s, and was widely implemented in manufacturing in the 1940s. It wasn’t until 1970 that they were first detected in the blood of exposed workers, but by 1990 it was established that PFAS had found their way into the bloodstreams of the general population. Globally, health organisations began discouraging the use of these chemicals in the early 2000s, but the capitalist ship had already sailed. Manufacturers had discovered the grease and water repellant properties of PFAS, and began using them in everything from food packaging, to textiles, and even contact lenses.
By 2018, environmental scientists discovered PFAS in the plasma of polar bears in the far north Barents Sea, one of the coldest and most isolated bodies of water in the world.
If a polar bear living in the Arctic circle has PFAS in its body, it’s reasonable to assume that the average Australian probably does too. These synthetic chemicals are difficult for our bodies to process, and although they are generally excreted, they can also be small enough to pass into our bloodstream and build up over time. In fact, most people living in Australia will have detectable levels of PFAS in their blood.
Exposure and end of life (or not)
The main sources of PFAS exposure are from drinking water and food, such as eating fish, eggs, or livestock that has fed on contaminated land. Some types of PFAS are known to be toxic, and to bioaccumulate in organisms – meaning they are absorbed in substances faster than they’re lost or eliminated.
Their highly mobile nature means that although we can’t see them, PFAS are moving rapidly through our environment, contaminating waterways and entering the food chain at every step.
If composted, most of these chemicals will not break down, and those that do will form other PFAS that can then contaminate the food chain through the use of compost in farmlands.
If recycled, these chemicals may transfer to recycled products – though this has not yet been confirmed in Australia. More work is needed to understand the potential for accumulation of PFAS in recycled content.
The Packaging Problem
PFAS are also prolific in many bagasse, cardboard and paper products used for packaging, especially the compostable variety. Their resistance to heat, stains, grease and water make PFAS an attractive addition to stop fat and water from food soaking into the packaging.
Recently Craig and the War on Waste team highlighted abnormally high amounts of PFAS in packaging market leader, Biopak’s dinner plates (sold at Woolworths), as well as their takeaway Fishbowl, ‘This bowl is highly compostable’.
Both returned high total fluorine concentrations, alongside Coles’ Green Choice sugarcane pulp plate, and Woolworths’ SAVU collection sugarcane dinner plates. Unbeknownst to the eco-conscious Australian purchasing these items for birthday parties and corporate events, PFAS have been lurking in their lunch-ware and leeching onto their food.
Each company has since responded outlining their intention to remove materials that contain PFAS from the products.
Due to the widespread use of PFAS in bagasse, cardboard & paper packaging, it can be hard to identify and say certain types of packaging are safe or unsafe to use. To avoid PFAS invading your garden compost, use this simple oil test:
For our Responsible Cafes, the best way to know if what you are currently purchasing contains PFAS is to ask your current supplier or distributor. Moreover the ABA verification standards for home (ABA AS5810) and commercial (ABA AS4736) composting now requires a PFAS test as part of their new verification processes.
Eco-friend or Foe
A new study in Sweden has found the presence of PFAS in the lining of ‘eco-friendly’ takeaway coffee cups. The thin film of plastic, or PLA, used to coat the paper cup to help it maintain its integrity emit toxic substances that are damaging to both the environment and human health.
Compostable cups usually use PLA, a renewable, biodegradable bio plastic made from corn, cassava or sugarcane in lieu of traditional plastic made from fossil fuels.
However, in experiments where the paper cup was left to biodegrade in water, sediment, or dirt, insects suffered birth defects and other developmental damage.
The Last Straw
PFAS also caused a media storm recently, as a Belgian studs revealed the overwhelming presence of PFAS in paper straws. The supposed ‘eco-friendly alternative’ to traditional plastic straws that have been banned in all but one state are actually worse for us? Oh, the irony.
The study analysed 39 brands of straws that were made from five materials; paper, bamboo, glass, stainless steel and plastic. After two rounds of testing, 27 out of 39 brands contained PFAS. The long-lasting “forever chemicals” were found in 18 out of 20 brands of paper straws, a whopping 90%.
Best Practice for our Keen Beans and Responsible Cafes
For Responsible Cafes:
- Ask your supplier for PFAS presence in the food service ware you’re buying
- Always use reusable dishware and cutlery for dine in
- Use a swap system, or have library of containers to encourage customers to reuse
For Keen Beans:
- Cut back on fast food and it’s greasy wrappers
- Limit how much packaged food you’re eating
- Avoid non-stick cookware
- Store leftovers in glass containers
- Drink filtered water
- Oil test all of your packaging materials before adding them to your garden compost
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Content creator and social media maven, Amy keeps our Cafes and fellow waste warriors connected and updated across all of the Responsible Cafe socials. Passionate about inspiring positive change, sustainability, and performing, she can usually be found filming and editing videos with her furry sidekick, Banks!