Rice University chemical engineers have improved their design for a light-powered catalyst that rapidly breaks down PFOA, one of the world's most problematic "forever chemical" pollutants. More:

• Researchers improve catalyst that destroys 'forever chemicals' with sunlight  –  Phy.org
• Boron nitride destroys 'forever' chemicals PFOA, GenX  –  Phy.org
• Titanium oxide improves boron nitride photocatalytic degradation of perfluorooctanoic acid (Research abstract)

The French National Agency for Food, Environment and Occupational Health Safety (ANSES) tested best-selling brands of disposable nappies and found 38 “very severe hazard” chemicals in those sold throughout Europe. Most of the chemicals disrupt hormones, the officials say, which means they are not considered safe. More:

• ‘Toxic’ nappies could pose a health risk to 90% of babies - so why isn’t the EU acting?  –  EuroNews
• AVIS révisé et RAPPORT de l'Anses relatif à la sécurité des couches pour bébé  –  ANSES
• Francia alerta de la toxicidad del 90% de los pañales que se venden en Europa  –  El Confidencial

• Summary of principles for evaluating health risks in children associated with exposure to chemicals  –  WHO

Environmental health is a branch of public health that monitors the relationship between human health and the environment, examining aspects of both our natural and man-made environment and their effect on human wellbeing. More:

• What is environmental health?  –  EHN

• What are PFAS?  –  EHN
• Glyphosate, explained  –  EHN
• How is BPA bad for my health?  –  EHN
• Fractured: The stress of being surrounded  –  EHN

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are a group of thousands of chemicals found in everything from floss, to makeup, to frying pans, to clothes — and the list goes on. Numerous studies have been published documenting the harmful health and environmental impacts of these chemicals. Meanwhile, reforms aimed at phasing out certain PFAS from U.S. production processes have resulted in companies substituting lesser-known — and sometimes understudied — chemicals that might be just as dangerous, researchers warn. More:

• Common questions about PFAS, answered  –  The Hill
• Toxic ‘forever chemicals’ found in Florida oysters  –  The Hill
• Addressing Urgent Questions for PFAS in the 21st Century (Research article)

• What Are PFAS?  –  Live Science
• PFAS Explainer │ Minute Updates │ Great Lakes Now (YouTube)  –  Detroit Public TV
• The C8 Health Project: Design, Methods, and Participants (Research article)
• Toxic chemicals: PFAS  –  Safer States

• Fact Sheet: Human Health Toxicity Assessment for GenX Chemicals  –  US EPA
• Human Health Toxicity Values for Perfluorobutane Sulfonic Acid and Related Compound Potassium Perfluorobutane Sulfonate  –  US EPA

• Center for Environmental and Health Effects of PFAS  –  NC State University
• Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances and Incident Hypertension in Multi-Racial/Ethnic Women: The Study of Women's Health Across the Nation (Research article)
• Cancer fears plague residents of US region polluted by ‘forever chemicals’  –  The Guardian
• Adverse Maternal, Fetal, and Postnatal Effects of Hexafluoropropylene Oxide Dimer Acid (GenX) from Oral Gestational Exposure in Sprague-Dawley Rats (Research article)

• Learn about Dioxin  –  US EPA
• Drinking Water Health Advisories (HAs)  –  US EPA
• 2022 EPA PFAS Health Advisory Information  –  US EPA
• With the U.S. PFAS “Phase-out” clock ticking, what every food company should know  –  JDSupra

• Justice for PFAS exposure races a ticking clock  –  The Hill
• Leach v. E.I. du Pont de Nemours & Co. & Related Cases (Re PFOA Exposure & Contamination in the US)  –  Harvard Law and international Development Society
• Reference News Release: EPA Settles PFOA Case Against DuPont for Largest Environmental Administrative Penalty in Agency History  –  US EPA
• Milestones Achieved  –  Dupont

• Official health communications are failing PFAS-contaminated communities (Research article)
• 3M knew about the dangers of PFOA and PFOS decades ago, internal documents show  –  The Intercept

When Dr. Rob Sargis sees a patient struggling with obesity, his recommendations go beyond diet and exercise. He may advise them to stop heating things in plastics, or to avoid congested roads during rush hour. More:

• Doctors advocate for treating obesity as an environmental problem  –  EHN

• What are PFAS?  –  EHN
• Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS)  –  US CDC
• Bisphenol A (BPA) Use in Food Contact Application  –  US FDA
• Toxicity test  –  Million Marker

• Healthy Environment and Endocrine Disruption Strategies  –  HEEDS
• A Scoping Review of Maternal and Child Health Clinicians Attitudes, Beliefs, Practice, Training and Perceived Self-Competence in Environmental Health (Review article)

• BPA safety: The toxic chemical limbo game  – EHN

Analytical chemists Gabriela Castro Varela and Alexandros Asimakopoulos are hunting for toxic and unregulated chemical substances in the sewage sludge that is a by-product from the water treatment plants of Trondheim municipality. Their goal is to be able to reuse the sludge in a safe and sustainable way. More:

• Hunting down toxic substances in sludge  –  Phys.org

EHN.org, in partnership with the website Mamavation.com, spent the bulk of 2022 finding PFAS in scores of everyday products. The findings suggest these troublesome chemicals are on our shelves, in our bodies, and almost impossible to avoid. More:

• PFAS: Hard to escape in food, clothes, and makeup  –  EHN
• Investigation: PFAS on our shelves and in our bodies  –  EHN
• Where does PFAS contamination come from?  –  EHN

• Unintentional PFAS in products: A “jungle” of contamination  –  EHN
• Starbucks will eliminate all PFAS in its packaging  –  EHN
• Want single-use foodware without harmful chemicals? A new certification will help you find it  –  EHN

• CoverGirl Sued For PFAS "Forever Chemicals" & False Advertising  –  EHN
• PFAS cosmetics studies are “springboard” for litigation  –  EHN

• EPA Adds Five PFAS Chemicals to List of Regional Screening and Removal Management Levels to Protect Human Health and the Environment  –  US EPA
• Maryland Passes Bill Prohibiting the Use of 24 Ingredients in Cosmetics  –  UL Solutions
• Maine bans toxic ‘forever chemicals’ under groundbreaking new law  –  The Guardian

• New Washington state bill is the “fastest timeline in the nation” for phasing out PFAS  –  EHN
• H.R.3990 - No PFAS in Cosmetics Act (Legislative proposal)
• S.2047 - No PFAS in Cosmetics Act (Legislative proposal)
• AB-2762 Cosmetic products: safety (Legislative proposal)
• Federal PFAS Research Evaluation Act (Legislative proposal)

Some say the world is your oyster, but the world—especially human impacts on the environment—can actually be found inside an oyster, according to a new study. More:

• Florida oysters found to have toxic 'forever chemicals'  –  Phys.org
• American oysters as bioindicators of emerging organic contaminants in Florida, United States (Research article)

For months, Flanders has battled with the fallout of the historic chemical pollution scandal around a Belgian site of American multinational 3M. Now, the region's environment minister Zuhal Demir announced that a clean-up agreement has been reached. More:

• Flanders reaches agreement with 3M over pollution clean-up  –  The Brussels Times
• Committee points finger at 3M for historic pollution, hints at political responsibility  –  The Brussels Times

• ‘Remediation necessary’ around 3M site to limit risk to humans  –  The Brussels Times
• 'Only for first phase': 3M promises extra €150 million to clean up PFAS pollution  –  The Brussels Times
• The Polluter Pays Principle: Inconsistent application across EU environmental policies and actions (Special Report)  –  European Court of Auditors

An analysis of water samples from around the United States shows that the type of water testing relied on by the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is so limited in scope that it is probably missing significant levels of PFAS pollutants. More:

• Revealed: US water likely contains more ‘forever chemicals’ than EPA tests show  –  The Guardian
• FACT SHEET: Biden-⁠Harris Administration Combatting PFAS Pollution to Safeguard Clean Drinking Water for All Americans  –  The White House

Breastfeeding is one of the most effective ways to ensure child health and survival, with several benefits for both the infants and their mothers. However, breast milk can contain environmental pollutants with endocrine disruption capacity, neurotoxicity and/or potential to alter microbiota. More:

• A Spanish study found traces of environmental pollution in breast milk  –  News Medical
• Mixture of environmental pollutants in breast milk from a Spanish cohort of nursing mothers (Research article)

Soil pollution is defined as contamination of soil at higher than normal concentrations by waste materials of human origin that have adverse effects on human and ecosystem health. Pesticides and heavy metals in soil may have detrimental effects on the cardiovascular system, according to a study. More:

• Link between soil pollution and heart disease identified in new study  –  The Jerusalem Post
• Global assessment of soil pollution - Soil pollution and risk to human health  –  FAO & UNEP
• Soil and water pollution and human health: what should cardiologists worry about? (Research article)

Soils are impacted globally by several anthropogenic factors, including chemical pollutants. Among those, perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are of concern due to their high environmental persistence. More:

• Examining the effects of PFAS 'forever chemicals' on soil structure and function  –  Phys.org
• Effects of perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) on soil structure and function (Research article)
• How simulations could help get PFAS out of soil  –  Phys.org

Alberta researchers look for information about how insecticides may be affecting bats by poking into what remains from their diets. The Alberta Community Bat Program is looking for bat homes near crops to test the bat poop for insects and lingering pesticide found in the guano. More:

• Bat poop research gets to the bottom of pesticide residue  –  The Western Producer
• Analysis of pesticide and persistent organic pollutant residues in German bats (Research abstract)

Teenagers in Europe have high levels of PFAS in their blood, especially Swedish, French and Norwegian ones, an EU human biomonitoring study shows. The reason for these high levels? A large intake of egg, fish, animal intestines – and locally produced food. More:

• European teenagers are high – on PFAS  –  ChemSec

• Per--polyfluorinated compounds  –  HBM4EU
• PFAS - What you need to know (Infographic)  –  HBM4EU
• Policy Brief - PFAS  –  HBM4EU
• Scoping document on per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances  –  HBM4EU

• How many PFAS bans does it take to ban PFAS?  –  ChemSec
• Why high levels of PFAS should be a personal injury by law  –  ChemSec

Some brands of period underwear may contain the toxic “forever chemicals” known as PFAS. These compounds can be used to create a water- and stain-resistant lining in the underwear, though not all brands contain PFAS, and the chemicals are not necessarily added intentionally. More:

• Tampon shortage: Beware ‘forever chemicals’ in backup options  –  EWG

• PFAS Chemicals  –  EWG
• Fact versus fiction: ‘Forever chemicals’ hazardous substance designation is not a ban  –  EWG
• Many Fast Food Wrappers Still Coated in PFCs, Kin to Carcinogenic Teflon Chemical  –  EWG
• PFAS Chemicals Harm the Immune System, Decrease Response to Vaccines, New EWG Review Finds  –  EWG

• New tests find toxic 'forever chemicals' in bedding, yoga pants and other textiles  –  EWG
• OEKO-TEX Label Check and Buying Guide  –  OEKO-TEX
• Standard 100 by OEKO-TEX - Testing for harmful substances  –  OEKO-TEX
• OEKO-TEX new regulations 2021  –  OEKO-TEX

• Toxic PFAS Chemicals Found in Period-Proof Underwear  –  EWG
• My Menstrual Underwear Has Toxic Chemicals in It  –  Sierra
• Report: 65% of Period Underwear Tested Likely Contaminated with PFAS Chemicals  –  MAMAVATION
• New lawsuit contends period products contain ‘forever chemicals’  –  EWG

• The Nation’s First Menstrual Products Disclosure Law Goes into Effect in New York  –  WVE
• We Found The Best Period Underwear (Without Toxic Chemicals)  –  Better Goods
• The Ultimate Guide to Period Products  –  Made safe
• Are the ingredients in your fragrance safe? (YouTube)  –  EWG

• How are Menstrual and Intimate Care Products Regulated?  –  VWE
• Menstrual Tampons and Pads: Information for Premarket Notification Submissions  –  US FDA

If the Environmental Protection Agency designates the two best studied “forever chemicals” called PFAS as hazardous substances, manufacturers will not be forced to stop using them. More:

• Fact versus fiction: ‘Forever chemicals’ hazardous substance designation is not a ban  –  EWG

• For PFAS, Hazardous Designation Is Not a Ban  –  EWG
• 40 U.S. CFR § 302.4 - Hazardous substances and reportable quantities  –  Legal Information Institute
• 42 U.S. Code § 9604 - Response authorities  –  Legal Information Institute
• CERCLA and EPCRA Continuous Release Reporting  –  US EPA
• EPA: Toxic ‘forever chemicals’ levels in drinking water should be much lower  –  EWG

• Fact Sheet: 2010/2015 PFOA Stewardship Program  –  US EPA

• Healthcare Workers - Chemical Hazards  –  US CDC
• Sterilization for Medical Devices  –  US FDA
• NIOSH List of Antineoplastic and Other Hazardous Drugs in Healthcare Settings, 2016  –  US CDC
• Factors to Consider When Making Benefit-Risk Determinations in Medical Device Premarket Approval and De Novo Classifications (Guidance document) –  US FDA

With the messaging to reduce our plastic use so loud and clear, it seems odd that so many are choosing to carpet their gardens with the stuff. Artificial grass, faux lawn, plastic grass – whatever you call it, it has never been so widely used. And homeowners, or renters, who choose to install it, often cite low maintenance as their number one reason. More:

• 6 reasons why artificial grass is NOT low maintenance  –  Real Homes
• New Studies Show PFAS in Artificial Grass Blades and Backing  –  EWG

A court in Paris found the French government guilty of wrongful negligence involving the former use of a banned pesticide in the French Caribbean islands of Guadeloupe and Martinique but denied compensation to those affected More:

• Court finds France negligent in Caribbean pesticide case  –  ABC News
• Chlordécone aux Antilles : le tribunal administratif de Paris reconnaît des «négligences fautives» de l’Etat  –  Le Parisien
• Entre les Antilles et le chlordécone, une ultratoxicité sous l'œil du microscope  –  France 24
• Chlordecone poisoning by the banana industry in the French West Indies, Martinique and Guadeloupe  –  EJAtlas

Cette carte adopte une précision à l’échelle communale de l’utilisation des pesticides, par type de cultures et par type de traitements (herbicides, insecticides, fongicides, traitements de semences). Basée sur le référentiel de l’Indicateur de Fréquence de Traitements phytosanitaires (IFT), elle est disponible gratuitement sur Adonis, la plateforme de Solagro. More:

• Pesticides : une carte de France des IFT publiée par Solagro  –  REUSSIR
• Carte Adonis d'utilisation des pesticides en France  –  Solagro

• Le calcul de l'IFT  –  REUSSIR

• Réduction des pesticides : que propose la Commission européenne ?  –  REUSSIR