Leading health organization makes bold move to address threats lurking in household products: 'A significant leap forward'
According to the NSF, per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, also known as PFAS or "forever chemicals," are synthetic or man-made materials that don't break down easily.
PFAS are unfortunately found in both everyday household products and contaminated water and food. The NSF's Guideline 537, however, can make it easier to avoid PFAS in products we use to consume food and clean food spaces.
The NSF has put a great deal of thought into creating this certification. In addition to an official certification mark, NSF 537 requires a full product ingredient review and yearly testing of the product's total organic fluorine levels.
Approved nonfood compounds, like sanitizers, and food equipment materials are also listed publicly.
Certifications like NSF 537 can help us keep our families and communities safer and healthier.
According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, PFAS can increase a person's risk of cancers, interfere with their hormones, decrease fertility, and more.
Things like artificial turf and skincare products commonly contain PFAS as well. Communities and researchers have come together to recognize the negative effects PFAS in these products can have on people. Continuing to speak out against their use helps keep us safer.
The EU is currently working toward banning PFAS in various products. While it will take a while to phase out forever chemicals effectively, doing so will yield many health and environmental benefits in the long run. NSF 537 is just the beginning of what could exist in the U.S.
NSF 537 is based on decades of food safety knowledge and experience. When buying an item with the NSF 537 mark, you can be sure you are purchasing a reputable product that is good for you and won't pollute the environment.
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"With growing concerns and new regulations being introduced on PFAS in our environment and food supply, NSF 537 represents a significant leap forward in consumer safety and transparency," said Sam Cole, the NSF's director of food contact evaluation. "This certification will empower forward-thinking manufacturers to clearly distinguish PFAS-free products, giving both retail and food businesses and consumers confidence and peace of mind."
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Los Angeles Times
a day ago
- Los Angeles Times
Trump told polluters to email him for an exemption. In California, three places have already been approved
Three industrial facilities in California have received exemptions from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to emit a carcinogenic chemical after the Trump administration invited large emitters to bypass key provisions of the Clean Air Act by simply sending an email. The EPA in March announced that it would allow large stationary sources of air pollution — that is, sources that aren't vehicles — to apply for an exemption that would enable them to avoid regulations that limit hazardous emissions. The provision in question applies to the regulation of nearly 200 pollutants, including mercury, arsenic, benzene and formaldehyde. The nation's top environmental agency said the exemptions could be granted under the president's authority 'if the technology to implement the standard is not available and it is in the national security interests of the United States to do so.' Environmental groups were outraged by the announcement — dubbing the email offer as an 'inbox from hell.' As of publication, at least 340 facilities nationwide have received or applied for exemptions from the EPA, including 87 in Texas, 51 in Louisiana and 18 in Pennsylvania, according to a tracker created by the nonprofit Environmental Defense Fund. So far, three facilities in California have applied for and received approval. All three belong to Sterigenics, a company that provides industrial sterilization technology for medical devices and other commercial products at two locations in Los Angeles and one in San Bernardino County. The rule from which they are seeking relief applies to a chemical known as ethylene oxide, or EtO, which is commonly used to sterilize medical devices that can't be cleaned using steam or radiation. An estimated 50% of sterile medical devices in the U.S. are treated with EtO. The colorless gas is also used to make chemicals found in products such as antifreeze, detergents, plastics and adhesives. Yet the EPA's own website notes that short-term exposure to EtO by inhalation can cause adverse health effects including headaches, dizziness, nausea, fatigue, respiratory irritation, gastrointestinal distress and vomiting. Long-term exposure is even worse, with the EPA website noting that 'EtO is a human carcinogen. It causes cancer in humans.' Specifically, chronic exposure to ethylene oxide over many years increases the risk of cancers of the white blood cells, such as non-Hodgkin lymphoma, as well as breast cancer, according to the EPA. Children are particularly susceptible to its health risks. Granting exemptions for such emissions is 'something we should all be concerned about,' said Will Barrett, assistant vice president for nationwide clean air policy at the American Lung Assn. 'The public counts on these types of protections to ensure that their families are limiting their exposures to cancer-causing and other health risk-inducing pollutants,' Barrett said. 'And to the extent that these exemption requests are allowed to undermine that, or to delay and continue the pollution that people are being exposed to — that can have deadly consequences.' The Biden administration took steps to strengthen regulations for ethylene oxide under its amended air toxics standards in 2024, designed to reduce the amount of EtO released from commercial sterilizers by 90% and lessen the hazards for nearby communities. The Trump administration instead argued those regulations place 'severe burdens on commercial sterilization facilities,' and risk making sterile medical devices unavailable to patients who need them. 'The continued utilization of ethylene oxide by commercial sterilization facilities is essential to ensuring that our Nation provides its sick and injured with the best outcomes possible — an objective that is at the forefront of the Federal Government's responsibility to the American people,' Trump wrote in a July executive order. Trump in that same order listed nearly 40 facilities receiving exemptions from EtO compliance deadlines for two years, including the Southern California plants belonging to Sterigenics, one in Ontario, and two across the street from each other in Vernon. In a statement, a Sterigenics spokesperson said the company 'remains committed to operating safe facilities that protect patients, employees and communities.' 'The company has proactively implemented additional enhancements to further reduce already negligible levels of EtO emissions,' the statement said. 'This extension to the timeline will allow Sterigenics to continue to make thoughtful, proactive investments and focus resources on ensuring stable, reliable compliance.' According to public data, the two Sterigenics plants in Vernon released a combined 78 lbs of ethylene oxide emissions in 2024, while the one in Ontario released 612 lbs. By comparison, one of the largest ethylene oxide emitters in the country, the Union Carbide plant in Louisiana, emitted 6,894 lbs. in 2024. The federal government also granted that facility an exemption. This is not the first time Sterigenics has faced scrutiny. In 2022, the South Coast Air Quality Management District issued violation notices for improperly handling ethylene oxide to Sterigenics and another company called Parter Medical Products in Carson for improper handling of ethylene oxide. Biden's standards are set to go into effect in mid-2026. The Trump administration has said one reason it is issuing these exemptions is that the technology to implement these stricter standards 'does not exist.' But the Biden administration would not have finalized the rules if such technology were not available, according to Ellen Robo, senior manager of clean air policy and analytics at the Environmental Defense Fund, who helped create the tracker. 'The standards that are now being ignored by these exemptions were carefully considered,' Robo said. 'And with this arbitrary designation, they are being allowed to pollute in these communities with very little notice.' Robo said at least 10 more sterilization plants in California are governed by the ethylene oxide standards, and it's likely that they have also applied for an exemption. They are located in Los Angeles, Orange, San Diego, Riverside, Sacramento and Marin counties. Thinking nationally, this is just one of eight rules for which the EPA has recently offered exemptions via email. The others include rules governing mercury and air toxics; polymers and resins; rubber tires; copper smelting; and coal power, among others. 'These are things that cause cancer, cause developmental delays in children and babies,' Robo said. 'These are many of the most toxic pollutants.' The EPA's exemption template asked applicants to explain why they can't currently meet the emissions reduction goals and why an extension is in the national security interests of the country. The EPA said an email alone doesn't guarantee an exemption but that the president 'will make a decision on the merits.' The two-year exemptions can potentially be renewed, the agency said. While California so far has been granted fewer exemptions than some other states, it also has consistently ranked as one of the worst states for air quality in the nation, said Barrett of the American Lung Assn. The group's most recent annual 'State of the Air' report ranked San Bernardino as the nation's most polluted county for ozone and particle pollution, while Los Angeles has been ranked the nation's smoggiest city 25 of the last 26 years. 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UPI
2 days ago
- UPI
PFAS chemicals tied to weight loss difficulties in teens
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Indianapolis Star
2 days ago
- Indianapolis Star
'Forever chemicals' found in Indiana water, EPA data shows. Two Indiana cities over the EPA limit.
If you drink tap water out of a filtered pitcher, it is important to make sure you're using the right type of filter depending on your local contaminants, which in some cases, might be more serious than others. USA TODAY published a map of public drinking water systems that recently submitted test results for "forever chemicals" to the Environmental Protection Agency. Two Indiana towns were found to have chemicals over the federally dictated levels. Here's what we know. PFAS, also known as "forever chemicals," are defined by the EPA as long-lasting chemicals with components that break down very slowly over time. Because of the widespread use of these chemicals, they are found in water, air, soil, fish and even human blood in varying levels. Scientific studies have shown that exposure to some of these chemicals may be linked to harmful health effects in humans and animals. As a result, the EPA established legally enforceable levels in 2024 for six PFAS in public drinking water. Public water systems must monitor for these chemicals and take action to reduce the levels of these chemicals if they violate the EPA's standards. They must also provide notification to the public of the violation. Not all filters reduce PFAS in water, so you should look for a filter that is specifically certified to do so, according to the EPA. The agency recommends using the following types of water filters: While PFAS have been detected in Indiana, they have mostly been detected at lower levels. The following two public water systems in were found to have "forever chemical" levels over the EPA limit:
