
There have been no studies linking Ziploc bags to PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances). Ziploc and other sandwich bags are often made of low-density polyethylene (LDPE), which has been shown not to contain PFAS, but these bags could be contaminated in manufacturing.
Although Ziploc bags do not contain PFAS, many other products and substances you come in contact with daily, like foods and liquids, may be contaminated.
Most People Have Been Exposed to PFAS
According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), tests found PFAS in nearly all of their subjects’ blood samples. This indicates that widespread exposure to PFAS in the United States is almost certain. As a result, millions of people likely have PFAS in their bloodstream right now. While this should not be cause for alarm for most people, as low levels should not cause immediate damage as far as we know, this shows you just how prevalent this serious issue has become.
The issue lies in the fact that these PFAS are manmade and do not degrade. As a result, if they get into someone’s drinking water, for example, they can very easily be transported to someone else’s, and so on. In the same way, these hazardous chemicals can stay in old products for years, possibly even decades, and cause further exposure down the line.
Further testing will show just how dangerous these chemicals can be, but from what we already know, PFAS might cause serious health problems in those who are exposed to them.
Health Problems PFAS Can Cause
The United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) states that PFAS have been linked to health problems including, but not limited to:
- Cancer (bladder, blood, kidney, liver, pancreatic, prostate, testicular, thyroid)
- Low birth weights
- Preeclampsia
- Thyroid (hyperthyroidism, hypothyroidism, thyroiditis, Hashimoto’s, Grave’s, Goiter, thyroid nodules)
- Ulcerative colitis
Regardless of the extent of the health issues caused by PFAS, it is still an injustice that many people are seeking to get on the right side of. While many companies ignored the effects for years, the U.S. has come to phase out some of the more dangerous PFAS in recent times. Yet, the damage may already be done.
Because they are prone to clinging to the environment they are in and not breaking down over time, there is no telling what health problems the future will hold. Ziploc bags do not contain PFAS, but with the other contaminations in the environment, anyone could fall victim to a PFAS-related illness. This can result in expensive medical bills that you had no part in causing.
Getting Compensation for PFAS Exposure
When a company is responsible for your undue pain and suffering, you could be entitled to compensation. While every case is unique, and there may need to be research into your exposure, symptoms, illnesses, and hardships, PFAS have resulted in compensation in the past for victims who have fallen ill due to their toxic side effects.
For legal assistance, some victims turn to attorneys who work on these sorts of cases to assist them in their fight for compensation. While retaining the services of an attorney will not ensure compensation, it may let the victim rest easy knowing that there is someone out there fighting for their rights.
There might also be a class-action lawsuit against the company that exposed you to PFAS, where many people with the same claim against a defendant come together to file one lawsuit. In these cases, one person will represent the whole group (or class), and everyone will split the compensation they win.
Attorneys Fighting for PFAS Victims’ Rights
At Pintas & Mullins Law Firm, we work with victims suffering from injustice every day. The way we see it, victims who have been exposed to PFAS and suffered negative health effects, as a result, should not be financially responsible for their medical bills and anguish.
Further, we fight to get our clients compensated not only for their physical and financial suffering, but any mental anguish they have had to endure as a result of these companies’ negligence. After all these years, we feel it is our duty as attorneys to continue fighting for victims’ rights in these cases, no matter how much the companies responsible would like the whole world to forget about their harmful mistakes.
To learn more about our PFAS services, even if you may not be sure how you are affected, contact a Pintas & Mullins Law Firm team member today at (800) 788-4155 for your free consultation.