New York state bans PFAS chemicals in food packaging
New York Governor Andrew Cuomo has signed into law a ban on the forever chemicals polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). The ban goes into effect in the year 2023. New York becomes the 3rd state to ban PFAS, joining Washington state and Maine.
In use since the 1950s, studies have detected Polyfluoroalkyl substances in “95 percent of all people tested”. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has found PFAS nationwide in everything from drinking water to produce, meat, and seafood, and even chocolate cake. Polyfluoroalkyl substances are so prevalent because they’re often added to food packaging to make it water and grease resistant. Unfortunately, not only do the chemicals not break down in our bodies, they don’t do so in our environment either. Hence the moniker of “forever chemicals”.
Polyfluoroalkyl substances have been linked to a number of life altering conditions, conditions such as: immunotoxicity, cancer, thyroid disease, birth defects, and decreased sperm quality. Early studies also show that exposure to PFAS can make those suffering from obesity, asthma, kidney disease, and high cholesterol more vulnerable to COVID-19.
It’s great to see some action finally being taken to ban these forever chemicals, hopefully more states join the fight, and soon!
To read the full article from Food Safety News, follow this link: https://bit.ly/3n9Tqq3