More than seven years ago, a village resident launched a personal crusade to learn why there seemed to be a high rate of unusual cancers afflicting people in this small community. Michael Hickey, an insurance underwriter who grew up in Hoosick Falls, started his research after Isabel M. McGuire, a 48-year-old math teacher at Hoosick Falls High School, died from complications associated with melanoma. More:

• A man's crusade culminated with massive PFOA settlements  –  Times Union
• A danger that lurks below  –  Times Union
• $65 million settlement filed in Hoosick Falls PFOA water contamination  –  Times Union

For decades, the company once known as Monsanto has dominated U.S. agriculture. Famous for its Roundup Ready system—which consists of the herbicide Roundup, made with glyphosate, and seeds genetically modified to resist it—the company became the largest seller of seeds in the world by the 1990s. Fast forward nearly 30 years, and Bayer, the pharmaceutical company that bought Monsanto in 2018, now faces a number of high-profile lawsuits related to glyphosate’s cancer-causing potential as well as the failures of the Roundup system. More:

• ‘Seed Money’ Explores Monsanto’s Troubling Past and its Impact on the Future of Food  –  Civil Eats
• Dioxins and their effects on human health  –  WHO

“They’re on Mount Everest; they’re in the Mariana Trench; they’re in polar bears; they’re in penguins; and they’re in just about every human population on Earth,” says David Bond, a cultural anthropologist and professor at Bennington College, who’s been investigating the “forever chemicals.” More:

• Injustice Forever? Toxic PFAS Chemicals Have ‘Made a Mockery of Our Environmental Regulations’  –  The Revelator

• Our Current Understanding of the Human Health and Environmental Risks of PFAS  –  US EPA
• Understanding PFOA  –  Bennington College

• The Reckless Rush to Burn AFFF  –  Bennington College
• NY bans incineration disposal of toxic firefighting foam  –  AP News

WASHINGTON – More than half of the water wells that were tested in Delaware have detectable levels of the “forever chemicals” known as PFAS, and some have PFAS levels far exceeding federal health guidelines for the chemicals, according to new U.S. Geological Survey sampling More:

• Toxic ‘forever chemicals’ contaminate more than half of wells tested in Delaware  –  EWG
• EWG Explains: PFAS (YouTube)  –  EWG

• Occurrence and Distribution of PFAS in Sampled Source Water of Public Drinking-Water Supplies in the Surficial Aquifer in Delaware, 2018; PFAS and Groundwater Age-Dating Results  –  US Geological Survey
• Suspected industrial discharges of PFAS (Interactive Map)  –  EWG
• 679 Military Sites With Known or Suspected Discharges of PFAS (Interactive Map)  –  EWG

• PFAS Action Act of 2021 to designate PFAS as hazardous substances  –  US Library of Congress
• EWG news roundup (12/10): Defense funding bill includes over $500 million to clean up ‘forever chemicals,’ holiday gift tips and more  –  EWG

More than a thousand people talked to ProPublica about living in hot spots for cancer-causing air pollution. Most never got a warning from the EPA. They are rallying neighbors, packing civic meetings and signing petitions for reform. More:

• When Home Is a Toxic Hot Spot  –  ProPublica
• The Most Detailed Map of Cancer-Causing Industrial Air Pollution in the U.S.  –  ProPublica
• El mapa más detallado de contaminación atmosférica industrial que causa cáncer en los EE. UU.  –  ProPublica
• Poison in the Air  –  ProPublica

• How We Created the Most Detailed Map Ever of Cancer-Causing Industrial Air Pollution  –  ProPublica
• A Journalist's Guide for Investigating Toxic Hot Spots (YouTube)  –  ProPublica
• How You Can Report on the Toxic Hot Spots Near You  –  ProPublica

• Can Air Pollution Cause Cancer? What You Need to Know About the Risks.  –  ProPublica

The findings come as countries — including Canada — and companies aim to boost recycling rates in an effort to reduce plastic pollution. But now researchers with the International Pollutant Elimination Network (IPEN) warn those measures could inadvertently expose people to toxins. More:

• The insidious side effects of recycling plastic  –  Canada's National Observer
• New global studies show health threats throughout the plastics supply chain  –  IPEN

The eggs that were tested, according to Dr. Andrew Smith, state toxicologist with the Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention, were from two Fairfield homesteads and households that had already tested positive for high levels of the toxic per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances — or PFAS — in their water. More:

• Maine’s ‘forever chemicals’ problem has now spread to chicken eggs  –  BDN
• Maine found ‘forever chemicals’ in deer, but has no idea how widespread the problem is  –  BDN

PFAS are used to manufacture turf fields, specifically by preventing plastic blades of grass from sticking to equipment when they are shaped. Research has shown PVDF has the potential to break down in the presence of prolonged exposure to ultraviolet rays — which could be a concern for turf fields exposed to the elements. More:

• EPA-linked consultant undercuts agency’s PFAS concerns  –  E&E News
• Are Fluoropolymers Really of Low Concern for Human and Environmental Health and Separate from Other PFAS? (Research article)
• On the Solubility and Stability of Polyvinylidene Fluoride (Research article)

Years of PFAS pollution from DOD bases have contaminated drinking water supplies for communities across the U.S., while the use of firefighting foam laced with the chemicals at bases created major health risks for service members. The Defense Department Inspector General's report found the Defense Department failed to protect service members and their families from the toxic “forever chemicals” known as PFAS. More:

• PFAS: What the Defense Department’s inspector general found, ignored and obscured  –  EWG
• Decades later, plumes of ‘forever chemicals’ from Defense installations still contaminate nearby wells  –  EWG
• Jim Holmes Testimony - Mil/Con-VA Subcommittee Hearing on Military Personnel Exposure to PFAS (YouTube)  –  EWG
• The ‘Forever Chemicals’ in 99% of Americans  –  EWG

• EPA finds PFAS are more toxic than previously thought  –  EWG
• PFAS and Developmental and Reproductive Toxicity: An EWG Fact Sheet  –  EWG
• Study: PFAS Act Similar to Known Cancer-Causing Chemicals  –  EWG
• What are the health effects of PFAS?  –  US ATSDR
• Joanne Stanton's Testimony before the Senate EPW Committee (YouTube)  –  EWG

• For Decades, The Department of Defense Knew Fire Fighting Foams With PFAS Chemicals Were Dangerous But Continued Their Use  –  EWG
• Emerging Chemicals (ECS) of Environmental Concern (DoD instruction)  –  U.S. Department of Defense
• Emerging Risk Alert: Aqueous Film Forming Foam (AFFF)  –  U.S. Department of Defense

• 679 Military Sites With Known or Suspected Discharges of PFAS (Interactive map)  –  EWG
• The 100 U.S. Military Sites With the Worst PFAS Contamination  –  EWG

• States Clash With Pentagon on PFAS Water Limits, Polluted Sites  –  Bloomberg Law
• Evaluation of the Department of Defense’s Actions to Control Contaminant Effects  –  U.S. Department of Defense
• At the most contaminated military sites, little to no progress in cleaning up ‘forever chemicals’  –  EWG
• GAO: ‘Forever chemicals’ cleanup costs for Defense Department sites will increase ‘significantly’  –  EWG
• Congressional defense bill tackles 'forever chemicals' with funding boost, policy reforms  –  EWG

Green cosmetic makers know their audience. One manufacturer, in addition to the standard lines about how long-lasting and colorful their product is, says that their lip tint is “cruelty-free,” vegan, and made from wholesome ingredients like coconut oil and shea butter. Missing from the product description is any reference to per-and polyfluoroalkyl substances, or “PFAS.” More:

• Green beauty product testing finds more than 60% have PFAS indicators  –  EHN

• Unlabeled PFAS chemicals detected in makeup  –  EurekAlert!
• Fluorinated Compounds in North American Cosmetics (Research article)
• Green Beauty Cosmetics Guide--PFAS "Forever Chemicals" & Makeup  –  Mamaviation

• Ketchup Ranked: Indications of PFAS "Forever Chemicals" Industry Wide  –  Mamaviation

• What are the health effects of PFAS?  –  US ATSDR
• Study: PFAS Exposure Through Skin Causes Harm Similar to Ingestion  –  EWG

Consumers says toxic chemicals in food is one of their top concerns, especially those in food marketed to children. But the FDA, which is charged with protecting the food supply from toxins, has largely let food and chemical companies decide whether chemicals and contaminants linked to everything from cancer to lower IQ should be in our food. More:

• Opinion: Tackling toxics in food must be priority for new FDA commissioner  –  EHN
• The ‘Forever Chemicals’ in 99% of Americans  –  Environmental Working Group

• PFAS and Developmental and Reproductive Toxicity: An EWG Fact Sheet  –  EWG
• PFAS Chemicals Harm the Immune System, Decrease Response to Vaccines, New EWG Review Finds  –  EWG

• FDA fails to ban ‘forever chemicals’ from food containers, despite known health risks  –  EWG
• It’s Time To Ban PFAS from Food Packaging  –  EWG

There is a need for strengthened enforcement and vigilance on borders to ensure the banned pesticides are not smuggled into the country, experts have said. The call is in line with implementing Rotterdam convention, a multilateral treaty, adopted in 1998 and became effective in 2004, to promote shared responsibilities in relation to importation of hazardous chemicals. More:

• Is Rwanda safe from banned pesticides?  –  The New Times Rwanda
• Unlicensed agrochemical dealers to be shut down  –  The New Times Rwanda
• Agric ministry moves to enforce regulation of pesticide business  –  The New Times Rwanda
• REMA issues warning over illegal importation of hazardous waste  –  The New Times Rwanda

The Environmental Protection Agency’s recent revelation that the fluorinated “forever chemicals” known as PFAS are much more toxic than previously believed makes clear it’s beyond time to ban their use in cosmetics and other personal care products. More:

• New EPA data show banning ‘forever chemicals’ in cosmetics is overdue  –  EWG
• What are PFAS?  –  US ATSDR

• Per and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) in Cosmetics  –  US FDA
• Fluorinated Compounds in North American Cosmetics (Research article)
• Is Teflon in Your Cosmetics - Skin Deep® (Cosmetics database)  –  EWG

• Study: PFAS Act Similar to Known Cancer-Causing Chemicals  –  EWG
• PFAS Chemicals Harm the Immune System, Decrease Response to Vaccines, New EWG Review Finds  –  EWG
• What are the health effects of PFAS?  –  US ATSDR
• Safety Assessment of Polyfluorinated Polymers as Used in Cosmetics.pdf (Draft report)  –  Cosmetic Ingredient Review
• PFAS and Developmental and Reproductive Toxicity (Factsheet)  –  EWG

• World’s first ban on products with PFAS adopted in Maine  –  C&EN
• California First State To Ban 24 Toxic Chemicals in Personal Care Products and Cosmetics  –  EWG
• Examining the Public Health Risks of Carcinogens in Consumer Products (Testimony)  –  EWG

Maryland sued Bayer AG seeking money to clean up environmental contamination in the state's waterways the state says is due to toxic chemicals the company's Monsanto Co unit made decades ago. the state said Monsanto, which Bayer acquired in 2018, knew as early as the 1930s that polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) were toxic and lingered in the environment but continued to produce and sell them. More:

• Maryland joins others in suing Bayer over PCB contamination  –  Reuters
• Complaint State of Maryand v. Monsanto  –  Circuit Court for Baltimore City

A new report indicates that toxic contaminants could be working their way up the food chain in several New Hampshire lakes. The Loon Preservation Committee found significant levels of a range of hard-to-detect toxic chemicals in failed loon eggs, including at Squam Lake, Lake Sunapee, Pleasant Lake and Grafton Pond, according to its report. More:

• Report finds contaminants in loon eggs  –  Valley News
• Contaminants in Loon Eggs in New Hampshire (Report)  –  Loon Preservation Committee

Last October, the White House outlined new and ongoing federal efforts to combat nationwide per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) pollution, especially agency actions to address the legacy of PFAS pollution in our water, air, food, and communities. We offer the Biden-Harris Administration seven recommendations to deal with PFAS in commerce using a whole-of-government approach, and finally start to turn off the PFAS tap. More:

• Analysis: 7 things the White House should do to limit PFAS pollution  –  EHN
• PFAS roadmap sets new direction for EPA  –  EWG

• PFAS Contamination Is an Equity Issue, and President Trump’s EPA Is Failing to Fix It  –  Union of Concerned Scientists

• Reconciling Terminology of the Universe of Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances  –  OECD
• National PFAS Testing Strategy  –  US EPA
• TSCA Section 8(a)(7) Reporting and Recordkeeping Requirements for Perfluoroalkyl and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances  –  US EPA

It’s one of the biggest industries in the world, consumes more than 10% of fossil fuels produced globally and emits an estimated 3.3 gigatons of greenhouse gas emissions a year, more than India’s annual emissions – yet the chemicals sector has largely slipped under the radar when it comes to climate. More:

• How the chemicals industry’s pollution slipped under the radar  –  The Guardian

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are a family of chemicals and can be found in all sorts of products, in the environment and in our bodies. PFAS  are man-made substances created by replacing hydrogen atoms (the natural bonding partner for carbon) with fluorine atoms.  This gives PFAS water and oil repellent properties. Once released into the environment, these PFAS cannot be broken down into carbon dioxide or methane by bacteria, enzymes, or sunlight, earning them the name of  ‘forever chemicals’. More:

• What are PFAS  –  EEB

• Perfluoroalkyl chemicals (PFAS)  –  ECHA
• Synthesis paper on per and polyfluorinated chemicals (Report)  –  OECD
• PFASs: Avoiding the streetlight effect (Report)  –  EEB

• Emerging chemical risks in Europe — ‘PFAS’  –  European Environment Agency
• Talking industry accountability- Will the polluter pay?  –  META

WASHINGTON – The Environmental Protection Agency announced that safe levels of exposure to PFAS – the levels at which harms might not occur – should be thousands of times lower than limits it first proposed in 2016. More:

• EPA finds PFAS are more toxic than previously thought  –  EWG
• Study: More Than 200 Million Americans Could Have Toxic PFAS in Their Drinking Water  –  EWG

• For Decades, Polluters Knew PFAS Chemicals Were Dangerous But Hid Risks From Public  –  EWG
• Two 'forever chemicals' more toxic than previously thought EPA drafts  –  The Hill
• EPA finds chemical contaminating NC river more toxic than previously assessed  –  The Hill
• EPA Advances Science to Protect the Public from PFOA and PFOS in Drinking Water –  US EPA

• Human Health Toxicity Assessments for GenX Chemicals  –  US EPA
• The new generation of ‘forever chemicals’ – toxicity, exposure, contamination and regulation  –  EWG

• Per- and Polyfluorinated Substances (PFAS) Factsheet  –  US CDC

• ‘Forever Chemicals’ Must Be Regulated as a Class  –  US EPA

Industrial facilities across the country could be unwittingly burning the Pentagon’s legacy firefighting foam, according to an analysis of Pentagon records. The firefighting foam is made with the toxic “forever chemicals” known as PFAS. More:

• The Pentagon’s toxic ‘forever chemicals’ waste could be burning near your home  –  EWG

• Mapping PFAS Chemical Contamination at 206 U.S. Military Sites  –  EWG
• Interactive Map - 679 Military Sites With Known or Suspected Discharges of PFAS  –  EWG
• For Decades, The Department of Defense Knew Fire Fighting Foams With PFAS Chemicals Were Dangerous  –  EWG
• Complaint for Declaratory and Injuntive Relief –  Earthjustice

• Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) Incineration to Manage PFAS Waste Streams (Technical brief)  –  US EPA
• Study: Disposal of PFAS Waste Increases Contamination  –  EWG
• Bennington College team finds elevated levels of PFAS around NY plant  –  Bennington Banner
• The Reckless Rush to Burn AFFF –  Bennington College
• Disposal of products and materials containing per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS): A cyclical problem (Research abstract)

• Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS)  –  US National Toxicology Program

• Wind can carry PFAS pollution miles away from manufacturing facilities  –  UPI

• The U.S. Military is Spending Billions to Replace Toxic Firefighting Foam with Toxic Firefighting Foam  –  The Intercept
• Short-chain and long-chain PFAS show similar toxicity, US National Toxicology Program says  –  C&EN

• ‘Forever chemicals’ no more? These technologies aim to destroy PFAS in water  –  C&EN