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‘Forever Chemicals’ Found in 98.8% of Human Blood Samples Tested
The ‘forever chemicals’ previously linked to multiple health harms really are everywhere: They’ve now been detected in 98.8 percent of 10,566 blood samples tested in a new US study. Technically, forever chemicals are perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), and there are more than 15,000 known to toxicologists.
The ‘forever’ nickname refers to their resistance to breaking down and their persistence in the environment. Used extensively in a wide variety of manufacturing processes for decades, these chemicals have found their way into our food, our water supplies, and the planet’s ecological systems.
We already knew that PFAS can seep into the human body. In this new analysis, researchers from NMS Labs, a toxicology lab in the US, wanted to look at how many different combinations of PFAS are present in our blood.
With a Rich Payout to Lawyers but Little for Plaintiffs, Bayer’s Roundup Settlement Faces Critics, Doubts
A class action settlement proposed in the nationwide Roundup litigation would award $675 million to lawyers who negotiated the settlement, while plaintiffs suffering from cancer would receive, on average, $10,000 to $165,000 each, according to a new court filing in the case.
The request for court approval was filed last week by lawyers from six firms who called the request “fair” and “reasonable” and achieved through “exceptional effort,” though multiple other lawyers who have been involved in the Roundup litigation since its inception oppose the terms of the settlement and question its fairness. The details on the fee arrangement added fresh fodder for critics of the deal. Additionally, an order issued last week by a federal judge overseeing Roundup litigation cast doubt on the ability of the settlement to bind future potential plaintiffs to its terms.
For Bayer, the German conglomerate that bought Roundup maker Monsanto in 2018, the $7.25 billion settlement plan could be key to resolving the decade-long litigation, which has involved well over 100,000 claims brought by people alleging they developed cancer from exposure to herbicides such as Roundup made with the chemical glyphosate.
Scientists to Study Link Between Pesticides and Parkinson’s
Parkinson’s News Today reported:
Scientists at Cedars-Sinai Health Sciences University are part of a team that will use a $9 million grant from the Aligning Science Across Parkinson’s (ASAP) initiative to study the connection between exposure to pesticides and air pollutants and the risk of developing Parkinson’s disease.
The grant is part of ASAP’s Collaborative Research Network (CRN), a global community of multidisciplinary and multi-institutional teams working to understand disease variability. The network is managed by the Coalition for Aligning Science and implemented by The Michael J. Fox Foundation (MJFF).
“With this grant, we will generate lines of stem cells from people living in a pesticide-treated area in the San Fernando Valley and attempt to figure out why some developed Parkinson’s and some did not,” said Clive Svendsen, PhD, executive director of the Cedars-Sinai Board of Governors Regenerative Medicine Institute, said in a university news story.
“We are trying to determine which … genetic vulnerabilities interact with pesticides — and how. If we can figure that out, we can begin to think about new approaches to treatment.”
New Findings Link Common Pesticide to Early-Onset Colorectal Cancer
Clinical Trials Arena reported:
The World Health Organization cites colorectal cancer (CRC) as the second leading cause of cancer-related deaths worldwide. Although it predominantly affects individuals aged 50 and above, the risk to those under the age of 50 — otherwise known as early-onset CRC — is increasing. Early-onset CRC is thought to have distinct pathophysiological features and risk profile; however, relatively little is known about the factors driving the increases in incidence rates.
In this context, Silvana Maas and colleagues recently published a study in Nature Medicine exploring potential risk factors using epigenetic profiling. The study validated identified risk factors, including educational attainment, diet, and tobacco use. Crucially, they identified exposure to the pesticide picloram as a new potential risk factor.
The team studied US population data from 94 counties over 21 years to look at environmental exposures linked to the process of DNA methylation. Unlike genetic mutations, which alter the DNA sequence, processes like methylation add signatures onto the DNA that alter the expression of genes. This process can occur in response to exposures in everyday life, such as smoking, and is thought to be implicated in the development of cancer.
Minnesota Sues 3M Again Over PFAS Pollution Near Mississippi River
The state is suing 3M again, accusing the company of continuing to pollute groundwater and the Mississippi River with PFAS “forever chemicals.”
The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) says new testing near 3M’s Cottage Grove site found PFAS levels far above the state limits, in an area already under a fish consumption advisory.
The agency also says 3M is behind on required cleanup work ordered in 2022.
3M tells us it’s invested heavily in PFAS cleanup and plans to end PFAS production by 2025, and say they met that goal, arguing the state’s new lawsuit belongs in federal court.
Possible Culprit Found for the ‘Spoonful of Microplastics’ in Our Brains
Life in plastic isn’t so fantastic. While there’s debate over how much is actually in our systems, microplastics are all the rage right now — and not in a good way for our health. A new study may have found the culprit behind the accumulation in our brains, and it’s much more common than we may realize.
Previous research found that the brain contains up to thirty times more microplastics than any other organ, and those with dementia show the highest levels. Now, research published earlier this month in the journal BrainHealth has found a strong potential link between these pesky particles and an everyday dietary source — ultra-processed foods (UPFs).
While the packaged goods, drinks, cereals and ready-to-eat products that are UPFs are often high in sugar, saturated fat and salt and devoid of vitamins and fiber, they also make up 60% of Americans’ calorie intake.
3 Simple Ways to Reduce Your Body’s Exposure to Plastic Chemicals
When it comes to plastic-related particles and chemicals, people often feel helpless and overwhelmed. Plastic contamination feels so pervasive, inevitable and frustrating, especially since the research is limited on how to reduce your exposure.
That’s why a new randomized controlled trial published in Nature Medicine immediately caught my eye. Researchers at the University of Western Australia found that in just seven days, a few specific lifestyle changes — from consuming a low-plastic diet to using low-plastic personal care products — could reduce the amount of plastic-associated chemicals in urine by as much as 60 and 35 percent, respectively.
In the conversations around plastic concerns, we often focus on microplastics — the microscopic plastic particles that shed especially under heat or acidic conditions. But there’s also plastic-associated chemicals, such as phthalates and BPA, to reckon with.
Lawsuit Claims Shein Clothing Contains 3,300x the Safe Limit of Toxic Chemicals Like Lead and Phthalates. Why This Matters and How to Protect Yourself
Fast fashion brand Shein has built a loyal following in Canada on the promise of ultra-low prices — $8 dresses, $12 jeans, entire back-to-school wardrobes for under $100. But a sweeping lawsuit filed in February 2026 by the Texas Attorney General, combined with independent lab testing, raises a question that no price tag can answer: What exactly is in those clothes?
The short answer, according to the lawsuit and testing by Greenpeace Germany, is a toxic cocktail that includes “forever chemicals” (perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances, or PFAS), phthalates and lead — some at concentrations far exceeding safety limits in the European Union (EU) and the United States.
Canada has no comprehensive federal testing program for chemical content in imported clothing. Health Canada doesn’t screen, test or approve these products before they are sold online or in stores. Instead, the onus is on the importer or company to ensure its merchandise complies with the Canada Consumer Product Safety Act — which prohibits hazardous substances like lead and PFAS. However, manufacturers often use a loophole by claiming these chemicals are “incidental.” Shein has denied the toxic product claims, even as the State of Texas launched a lawsuit against the fast-fashion firm.
