According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the development of PFAS can cause several health risks over time when humans are exposed to this toxic forever chemical. Furthermore, the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) states the following health risks of PFAS in humans:
- Increased cholesterol levels
- Disruption of the body’s natural hormones
- Immune system complications
- Certain cancers
Perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) is another man-made chemical and a compound of PFAS that can cause these cancers. According to the American Cancer Society, PFAS and PFOA exposer may increase the chances of humans facing the following cancers:
- Bladder Cancer
- Blood Cancer (any leukemia, lymphoma, or myeloma)
- Breast Cancer
- Kidney Cancer
- Liver Cancer
- Pancreatic Cancer
- Prostate Cancer
- Testicular Cancer
- Thyroid Cancer
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), animals have also been tested for health risks associated with PFAS. The CDC states that animals have been tested with large amounts of PFAS levels to determine health risks, yet the agency has not reported that there is a correlation for the same health risks for animals and humans. The following are health risks associated with animals for PFAS exposure, per the CDC:
- Development and reproductive issues
- Hyper or Hypothyroidism
- Immune system
- Liver damage
What Are PFAS?
PFAS stands for per-and polyfluorinated substances. It is a man-made chemical that came about in the 1940s. PFAS was created to produce fluoropolymer coatings, according to the CDC. The CDC has also reported that PFAS was used to create repellants for water, heat, oil, grease, and stains.
PFAS includes both PFOA and PFOS, which stands for perfluorooctanesulfonic acid. These chemicals are known as toxic forever chemicals because they are known for accumulating slowly over time and have long half-lives, according to the EPA.
This chemical is used to create products in a variety of locations, and all of which may attribute to its spread into the environment. PFAS can be released into the environment via PFAS manufacturing facilities, military locations that use firefighting foams, and airports.
How Humans Are Exposed to PFAS
According to the EPA, there are a variety of ways in which humans can be exposed to PFAS, which include:
- Contaminated food
- Drinking water supplies
- Commercial household products
- Workplace
- Living organisms
Once PFAS has contaminated soils, it poses the risk of contaminating the food that is grown from the soil and water. Food packaging materials are another way humans are exposed to PFAS.
Drinking water contamination is a very common source of PFAS contamination for humans, as the Environmental Working Group (EWG) has reported 1,582 contamination locations across the U.S. as of May 2020. The EWG has also confirmed 49 states to be affected by PFAS contamination to drinking water supplies.
Contact Pintas & Mullins Law Firm for a Free Case Evaluation
People that work at locations that manufacture products that use PFAS, or those that work at PFAS production plants, may be at risk of this toxic chemical through contaminated air or additional occupational settings.
If you or a loved one has suffered health issues from PFAS exposure at work, you may be entitled to file a class-action lawsuit. The PFAS contamination lawyers of Pintas & Mullins Law Firm can help you file a workers’ compensation claim after completing a free case evaluation form, which helps our lawyers better understand your legal recourse options.
To learn more about a workers’ compensation claim following PFAS exposure, call Pintas & Mullins Law Firm at (800) 788-4155.