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‘Forever Chemicals’ Now Linked to Scary Disease in Teens
They’re in your pans, your makeup and your clothes — and now, scientists say they may be quietly putting teens at risk. So-called “forever chemicals” have already been linked to a long list of health problems, including several types of cancer, immune system damage and birth defects.
A new study raises fresh concerns, suggesting that exposure to per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) during adolescence may sharply increase the risk of developing a dangerous condition that often goes unnoticed until it has caused serious damage.
That finding is especially troubling given how widespread PFAS exposure has become.
These manmade chemicals, designed to repel oil, water and stains, can be found in thousands of everyday products. They are notorious for seeping into the environment, where they can linger for years, contaminating drinking water, soil, air and wildlife.
Eventually, PFAS enter our bodies, with more than 98% of the US population carrying detectable levels in their blood.
One Family’s Battle With Trenton’s Lead Legacy
Amber DeLoney-Stewart brought her 2-year-old, Valencia, to the doctor’s office for an annual checkup in early September. Valencia was a happy girl with round cheeks, and the appointment was a routine physical exam, with vaccinations and some bloodwork. But the lab result proved to be anything but routine. “Her iron is fine,” the doctor said about Valencia’s test results. “But it’s showing that she has lead.”
A second finger prick confirmed significant lead levels in Valencia’s blood, prompting more lab work and tests at a separate facility. Within days, DeLoney-Stewart learned the child had five micrograms per deciliter of lead in her blood: a number considered elevated by CDC standards.
Children in Trenton are increasingly at risk for lead contamination. A 2022 state study revealed that 6.1 percent of Trenton’s children younger than 6 years old had elevated lead in their blood, the highest rate in the state. Under state law, the local health department must step in and follow up on the child’s condition with additional tests and the home must be tested within three weeks with blood lead levels like Valencia’s.
PFAS Exposure Linked to Gestational Diabetes and Insulin Problems
Exposure to per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), a class of highly persistent environmental chemicals commonly referred to as “forever chemicals,” is associated with a higher risk of gestational diabetes mellitus and altered markers of insulin resistance and insulin secretion, according to a new systematic review and meta-analysis led by researchers at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai.
The review, published in The Lancet eClinicalMedicine, represents the most comprehensive evaluation to date of PFAS exposure in relation to diabetes risk and clinical markers of glycemic control across the lifespan.
Key findings
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- Higher PFAS exposure was consistently associated with increased likelihood of gestational diabetes mellitus.
- PFAS exposure was linked to higher levels of insulin resistance and insulin secretion.
- Evidence linking PFAS exposure to type 1 or type 2 diabetes remains inconclusive, highlighting gaps in the current literature
PFAS Levels Are Declining in Great Lakes Fish, New Research Shows
In the years since Michigan’s PFAS crisis became public knowledge, widespread contamination has prompted a growing list of “do not eat” advisories in waterways across the state. But a study published this month in the Journal of Great Lakes Research offers hope that, one day, the fish could be safe to eat again.
The study was conducted by researchers in the former US Environmental Protection Agency Office of Research and Development, which the Trump administration has since dismantled amid a broad push to curtail federal oversight and loosen regulations on a host of chemicals, including PFAS.
Using decades’ worth of archived lake trout and walleye samples originally collected to track older pollutants like mercury and PCBs, scientists discovered PFAS levels in Great Lakes fish have declined significantly since the late 2000s, when manufacturers began phasing out once-common compounds like PFOS and PFOA amid growing regulatory pressure.
“The ecosystem responded very quickly to these changes in industrial production,” said Sarah Balgooyen, a lead author of the study and former EPA chemist who is now a researcher at the Colorado School of Mines.
Maine Adopts Tougher Limits on PFAS in Drinking Water
The Portland Press Herald reported:
The Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention has lowered the state limit on forever chemicals, or PFAS, in drinking water to align with rigorous federal standards established by the Biden administration. The change reduces the maximum amount of the two most harmful forever chemicals to four parts per trillion (ppt) — roughly four drops in 20 Olympic-sized swimming pools — and no more than 10 ppt, for three others combined.
The new rule, adopted in December, will be rolled out in phases, from monitoring by 2027 to initial enforcement in 2028. When in full effect, Maine’s 1,900 public drinking water systems could face fines of up to $2,000 per day for exceeding the maximum contaminant limits. “The (Department of Health and Human Services) has determined that these new requirements are necessary to protect public health,” it wrote in a rule summary. “The department will work with stakeholders to provide technical assistance and guidance where needed.”
Maine’s old limit was 20 ppt for the combined sum of six forever chemicals. The two most harmful, PFOA and PFOS, are now capped at four ppt each, which is a sharp decrease because they account for the bulk of most forever chemical readings in Maine.
Systems have until April 2029 to comply, which could require treating water, drilling new wells or hooking up to a clean water supply. Until then, Maine will use its 20 ppt limit to “cover the gap,” said DHHS spokeswoman Lindsay Hammes.
A North Carolina County’s Landfill Is Polluting Drinking Water With Toxic ‘Forever Chemicals’
Southern Environmental Law Center reported:
For tens of thousands of people in Robeson County, turning on the tap should not come with fear. Yet today, the county is knowingly supplying drinking water contaminated with unsafe levels of toxic PFAS, also known as “forever chemicals.”
These super durable compounds don’t break down easily in the environment or our bodies and have been linked to cancer, immune system harm, and other serious health risks. And unless county leaders act immediately to stop the pollution and protect public health, SELC is prepared to take the county to federal court.
On behalf of Winyah Rivers Alliance and the St. Pauls Community Association for Progress, SELC has formally warned Robeson County that its ongoing contamination of the public water supply violates federal law and may endanger up to 66,000 people who rely on the countywide water system.
New EPA Proposal Would Strip States’ and Tribes’ Authority to Block Oil and Gas Pipelines, Other Infrastructure Projects
The Trump Administration on Tuesday proposed a new rule aimed at speeding up and streamlining the permitting process for large energy and infrastructure projects, including oil and gas pipelines and facilities tied to artificial intelligence. The rule, which does not require action by Congress, includes a suite of procedural changes to section 401 of the Clean Water Act — a law enacted in the 1970s that is the primary federal statute governing water pollution in the United States.
For decades, section 401 has granted states and tribes the authority to approve, impose conditions on, or reject, federal permits for projects that they determine will pollute or damage local waterways. Now, the Trump administration aims to scale back that authority in order to expedite projects and “unleash energy dominance,” said Jess Kramer, EPA assistant administrator for water, in a press briefing.
“This proposed rule is the next step in ensuring that states and tribes only utilize section 401 for its statutory purpose to protect water quality and not as a weapon to shut down projects.”
