For the first time, the international community has agreed on a framework to curb the world’s growing plastic problem. A resolution adopted Wednesday by the United Nations lays out an ambitious plan for developing a legally binding treaty to “end plastic pollution.” More:

• U.N. adopts historic resolution aimed at ending plastic pollution  –  The Washington Post
• World leaders agree to draw up ‘historic’ treaty on plastic waste  –  The Guardian
• Countries Pave the Way to End Plastic Pollution  –  Scientific American

Why a new treaty? The world produces 400 million tonnes of plastic every year. Less than 10 per cent is being recycled and the rest ends up incinerated, dumped in a landfill or in the ocean and other ecosystems. With plastic production expected to double in the next 20 years, plastic pollution is also set to worsen. More:

• A new global treaty to tackle plastic pollution?  –  Geneva Solutions
• Historic day in the campaign to beat plastic pollution: Nations commit to develop a legally binding agreement  –  UNEP
• What you need to know about the plastic pollution resolution  –  UNEP

Chemists and chemical engineers could certainly do more to align their molecular machinery with sustainable development. An obvious place to begin is in the classroom by transforming the way chemistry is taught. An international network of motivated teachers and educators are looking to do just that through promoting a concept deemed green and sustainable chemistry education. More:

• Chemistry has much to learn from indigenous insights on sustainability  –  Sustainability Times
• Ethnochemistry of maguindanaons’ on the usage of household chemicals: Implications to chemistry education (Research article)

Once called “the world’s parliament on the environment,” the UN Environment Assembly (UNEA) has a unique role in global environmental governance. UNEA is an initiator or catalyst. It identifies emerging issues and (hopefully) agrees to the next steps for learning about and addressing these issues. More:

• The United Nations Environment Assembly’s Role as a Governance Architect  –  International Institute for Sustainable Development

PFAS, or per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, are a family of man-made chemicals used for their water- and stain-resistant qualities in products like clothing and carpet, nonstick cookware, packaging and firefighting foam. The family includes 5,000 compounds, which are persistent, remaining both in the environment and human body over time. More:

• Here's what you should know about how to remove 'forever chemicals' from your drinking water  –  Milwaukee Journal sentilnel
• Reducing PFAS in Your Drinking Water (Factsheet)  –  Wisconsin Department of Health Services
• Drinking Water Treatment Units  –  US National Sanitary Foundation
• PFAS Lab Analysis in Wisconsin  –  Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources

We’ve reached a tipping point – there are too many toxic chemicals in circulation for the world to handle! That’s the main conclusion from a recent study by some of the world’s foremost chemical scientists. Interview with one of the authors, Professor Bethanie Carney Almroth, to talk about the study and what we can do to turn this situation around. More:

• A ChemSec Conversation – The planet can't handle any more toxic chemicals (Youtube)  –  ChemSec
• Outside the Safe Operating Space of the Planetary Boundary for Novel Entities (Research article)

The U.S. Geological Survey has detected the toxic “forever chemicals” known as PFAS in public and private drinking water wells in 16 Eastern states. PFAS were detected in public and private drinking water wells in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Massachusetts, Maine, Mississippi, New Hampshire, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee and West Virginia. More:

• USGS detects ‘forever chemicals’ in 16 states’ water wells  –  EWG
• Perfluoroalkyl and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances in Groundwater Used as a Source of Drinking Water in the Eastern United States (Research article)

Everyday levels of a pregnant woman’s exposure to mixtures of endocrine-disrupting chemicals like bisphenol A (BPA), phthalates, and per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), put their child at an increased risk of delayed language development, according to new research. More:

• Prenatal exposure to toxics risks delay of child’s brain development  –  EHN
• From cohorts to molecules: Adverse impacts of endocrine disrupting mixtures (Research abstract)

Whether it’s lead, phthalates, per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), or BPA, nearly every time scientists assess chemicals, they lower the thresholds for safety. Doses that were previously thought innocuous, we find, turn out harmful. Why does that happen? More:

• BPA safety: The toxic chemical limbo game  –  EHN

A new study found that in a marine environment, microplastics absorb and concentrate toxic organic substances and thus increase their toxicity by a factor of 10, which may lead to a severe impact on human health. More:

• Microplastics increase the toxicity of organic pollutants in the environment by a factor of 10  –  Phys.org
• Interactions of microplastics and organic compounds in aquatic environments: A case study of augmented joint toxicity (Research abstract)

In Europe, scientists have blown the whistle on farmworkers' exposure to pesticides for years. Farm workers are not protected from pesticides. Their exposure has been linked to serious illnesses, including Parkinson’s disease and blood cancers. Recommended equipment, expensive, untested and rarely worn as it is, does not provide effective protection. Without this presumed protection, dangerous pesticides would be banned. More:

• Poisoned farmers: exposing the myth of pesticide protection in Europe  –  MidWest Center

• Ignoring Adjuvant Toxicity Falsifies the Safety Profile of Commercial Pesticides (Research article)

• Critical review of the role of PPE in the prevention of risks related to agricultural pesticide use (Scientific review)
• Ergonomics contribution to chemical risks prevention: An ergotoxicological investigation of the effectiveness of coverall against plant pest risk in viticulture (Research article)
• Efficacite des combinaisons de protection chimique (Rapport)  –  Agence française de sécurité sanitaire de l’environnement et du travail

• Guidance on the assessment of exposure of operators, workers, residents and bystanders in risk assessment for plant protection products  –  EFSA

• The effects of pesticides on health: New data (Executive summary)  –  Inserm
• Pesticides et santé – Nouvelles données (2021)  –  Inserm

PFAS, or per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, are a family of man-made chemicals used for their water- and stain-resistant qualities in products like clothing and carpet, nonstick cookware, packaging and firefighting foam. The family includes 5,000 compounds, which are persistent, remaining both in the environment and human body over time. More:

• Here's what you should know about how to remove 'forever chemicals' from your drinking water  –  Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
• What are PFAS? Here's what you need to know about the emerging contaminant group known as 'forever chemicals'  –  Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
• Reducing PFAS in Your Drinking Water (Leaflet)  –  Wisconsin Department of Health Services
• NSF Product and Service Listings  –  NSF International

PFAS are a group of manmade chemicals used in a vast number of consumer and industrial products. They’re often referred to as “forever chemicals,” because most don’t break down. Use this guide to understand PFAS and how to limit your exposure. More:

• What are PFAS? Everything you need to know about “forever chemicals” and how to avoid them  –  EHN
• PFAS: These “forever chemicals” don’t break down in the environment and can harm our health  –  Green Science Policy Institute
• Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS)  –  US National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)

• A lasting legacy: DuPont, C8 contamination and the community of Parkersburg left to grapple with the consequences  –  EHN
• Perfluorinated Compounds in Umbilical Cord Blood and Adverse Birth Outcomes (Research Article)
• Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) in Breast Milk: Concerning Trends for Current-Use PFAS (Research abstract)
• Polyfluoroalkyl Chemicals in the U.S. Population: Data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) 2003–2004 and Comparisons with NHANES 1999–2000 (Research article)
• Serum concentrations of PFASs and exposure-related behaviors in African American and non-Hispanic white women (Research article)

• For Decades, Polluters Knew PFAS Chemicals Were Dangerous But Hid Risks From Public  –  EWG
• C8 Science Panel  –  C8 Science Panel Website
• Immunotoxicity Associated with Exposure to Perfluorooctanoic Acid or Perfluorooctane Sulfonate (Monograph)  –  US National Toxicology Program
• Fact Sheet: Human Health Toxicity Assessment for GenX Chemicals –  US EPA

• Hundreds of thousands of Pennsylvanians have been exposed to dangerous PFAS chemicals, including around Pittsburgh’s airport  –  EHN
• Detection of ultrashort-chain and other per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in U.S. bottled water (Research abstract)

• Investigation: PFAS on our shelves and in our bodies  –  EHN
• Product Investigations - PFAS Testing Results  –  Mamavation
• Characterization of Per- and Polyfluorinated Alkyl Substances Present in Commercial Anti-fog Products and Their In Vitro Adipogenic Activity (Research article)
• Safest Non-Toxic Parchment Paper Without PFAS "Forever Chemicals"–Lab Reports  –  Mamavation
• Safest Bamboo Flooring Without PFAS "Forever Chemicals"–Lab Reports  –  Mamavation

• Green beauty product testing finds more than 60% have PFAS indicators  –  EHN
• Fluorinated Compounds in North American Cosmetics (Research article)

• The GenX water crisis began 4 years ago. Here's a recap of the key moments so far  –  StarNews
• Fracking with forever chemicals  –  Physicians for Social Responsibility
• Suspected industrial discharges of PFAS (Interactive Map)  –  EWG
• EWG: At least 1,500 U.S. textile mills likely dischargers of ‘forever chemicals’  –  EWG
• 679 Military Sites With Known or Suspected Discharges of PFAS (Interactive map)  –  EWG

• The Madrid Statement on Poly- and Perfluoroalkyl Substances (PFASs)  –  EHP
• The concept of essential use for determining when uses of PFASs can be phased out (Scientific article)

If you happened to be strolling by the Adidas outlet store near the company’s German headquarters on a sunny May day in 2014, you would have seen a soccer match of sorts on the concrete outside. But there was something odd about this game. More:

• IN DEPTH: First-of-its kind testing points to dangers and unknowns of PFAS in clothing  –  EHN
• Toxic Convenience: The hidden costs of forever chemicals in stain- and water-resistant products  –  Toxic-Free Future

• A Review of PFAS as a Chemical Class in the Textile Sector (Report)  –  NRDC
• Emissions of Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances in a Textile Manufacturing Plant in China and Their Relevance for Workers’ Exposure (Research Abstract)
• PFAS widespread in water- and stain-resistant outdoor clothes, home linens  –  EHN
• Investigation finds evidence of PFAS in workout and yoga pants  –  EHN
• Report: 65% of Period Underwear Likely Contaminated with PFAS chemicals  –  Mamavation

• PFAS Exposure Pathways for Humans and Wildlife: A Synthesis of Current Knowledge and Key Gaps in Understanding (Research article)
• The Air That We Breathe: Neutral and Volatile PFAS in Indoor Air (Research abstract)
• Dietary patterns and PFAS plasma concentrations in childhood: Project Viva, USA (Research article)

• ‘They’re hiding something’: Southwest flight attendant speaks out about severe reactions to uniforms  –  Harvard School of Public Health
• Another Pathway for Firefighter Exposure to Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances: Firefighter Textiles (Research abstract)
• Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) and total fluorine in fire station dust (Research article)

• Short-chain Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) (Literature review)  –  Danish Ministry of the Environment
• Health harms associated with long-chain and short-chain PFAS commonly detected in drinking water and used in consumer or industrial products (Table)  –  EWG
• Comparative analysis of the toxicological databases for 6:2 fluorotelomer alcohol (6:2 FTOH) and perfluorohexanoic acid (PFHxA) (Research abstract)
• Association between Prenatal Exposure to PFAS and Fetal Sex Hormones: Are the Short-Chain PFAS Safer? (Research abstract)

The north Atlantic archipelago, which lies between Iceland and the northern tip of Scotland, is far from sources of industrial or chemical pollution. And the chemicals that the 2005 Stockholm University study measured, which included polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), had already been phased out in many countries. More:

• How ‘forever chemicals’ are using marine life to travel the world by sea  –  The Guardian
• PFAS - Environment (News collection)  –  The Guardian

• Persistent Organic Pollutants: A Global Issue, A Global Response  –  US EPA
• PCB a forgotten legacy  –  UNEP
• 'Shocking' levels of PCB chemicals in UK killer whale Lulu  –  BBC

• Harmful Boomerang: PFAS Pollution in Ocean Comes Back to Land  –  Stockholm University
• Sea Spray Aerosol (SSA) as a Source of Perfluoroalkyl Acids (PFAAs) to the Atmosphere: Field Evidence from Long-Term Air Monitoring (Research article)

• Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs): A Primer for Practicing Clinicians (Scientific article)
• A retrospective study of PBDEs and PCBs in human milk from the Faroe Islands (Research article)
• Study finds alarming levels of ‘forever chemicals’ in US mothers’ breast milk  –  The Guardian

• Developmental PBDE Exposure and IQ/ADHD in Childhood: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis (Research article)
• The influence of persistent organic pollutants in the traditional Inuit diet on markers of inflammation (Research article)
• The impact of chemicals on children’s brain development  –  ChemTrust

Residents of a New Hampshire town where drinking water was contaminated with the industrial compounds known as PFAS have elevated rates of several cancers compared to the national average and compared to several nearby communities that were not contaminated with the chemicals, according to a study published today in the journal Environmental Health Insights. More:

• New Hampshire Town Polluted With PFAS Has Elevated Cancer Rates  –  The Intercept
• Bad Chemistry  –  The Intercept

• Toxic PFAS Chemicals Discovered in Hundreds of Products  –  The Intercept
• An overview of the uses of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) (Research article)

• Risk of Cancer in a Community Exposed to Per- and Poly-Fluoroalkyl Substances (Research article)
• Perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in drinking water and risk for polycystic ovarian syndrome, uterine leiomyoma, and endometriosis: A Swedish cohort study (Research article)
• Thyroid Disrupting Effects of Old and New Generation PFAS (Research article)
• Why is elevation of serum cholesterol associated with exposure to perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in humans? A workshop report on potential mechanisms (Research article)

Cattle from a small south-east Michigan farm that sold beef to schools and at farmers’ markets in the state have been found to contain dangerous levels of PFAS, so-called “forever chemicals” that can pose a serious risk to human health. More:

• Michigan beef found to contain dangerous levels of ‘forever chemicals’  –  The Guardian
• Toxic 'forever chemicals' found in Michigan farm's beef  –  abc12.com
• Toxic 'forever chemicals' found in Michigan farm's beef  –  Great Lakes Now

• Basics of Biosolids  –  US EPA
• Biosolids: mix human waste with toxic chemicals, then spread on crops  –  The Guardian
• MPART investigation yields new data on how PFAS in wastewater biosolids can accumulate in plants and animals  –  Michigan Environment
• Report: EPA Unable to Assess the Impact of Hundreds of Unregulated Pollutants in Land-Applied Biosolids on Human Health and the Environment (Report)  –  US EPA

• FDA’s updated results for PFAS in food suggest progress but raise questions about its method  –  Environmental Defense Fund (EDF)
• Chemical giants hid dangers of ‘forever chemicals’ in food packaging  –  The Guardian
• PFAS in food: BfR confirms critical exposure to industrial chemicals (Report)  –  German Federal Institute for Risk Assessment
• US FDA: Investigation of Per- and Polyfluorinated Substances (PFAS) in US food products (Poster presentation)  –  EDF
• Analytical Results for PFAS in 2018 Produce Sampling (Parts Per Trillion)  –  EDF

As regulators and growing public awareness have put the screws on some of the more well-known PFAS chemicals, other variants are marketed as safe and are rarely scrutinised. One such chemical is PTFE – an unregulated chemical in the PFAS family – which is used in a plethora of consumer products, giving materials that desired non-stick function. More:

• The Teflon chemical PTFE is often touted as a safe cousin of toxic PFAS. But is it really?  –  Chemsec
• Fluorinated polymers in a low carbon, circular and toxic-free economy (Report)  –  Eionet Portal

A school district in Washington state has offered an extraordinary $34 million settlement to students and parents exposed to toxic chemicals that lingered for at least eight years on a public school campus. More:

• School District Where Toxic Chemicals Lingered for Years Offers $34 Million Settlement to Families  –  ProPublica
• Toxic PCBs festered at a Monroe school for eight years as students, teachers grew sicker  –  The Seattle Times
• WA lawmakers, advocates call for PCB testing in schools in response to Seattle Times story  –  The Seattle Times

The researchers found that people might be exposed to inhalable fiberglass fragments from their mattress covers but are unaware about this hidden hazard in their bedroom. If inhaled, fiberglass can irritate or damage the lungs, and cause other harms. More:

• Fiberglass: A new hidden hazard in mattresses  –  EHN
• Fiberglass and Other Flame-Resistant Fibers in Mattress Covers (Research article)

• Flame Retardants  –  EWG

• Have you ever paused to think about the chemicals and contaminants you are exposed to inside your home?  –  EWG’s Healthy Living - Home Guide
• Choosing a Safe Mattress for Your Baby's Crib  –  EWG