Everything you need to know about PFAS “forever chemicals” | ABC NEWS
Three leading experts on per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, or PFAS, answer your questions about these “forever chemicals”. Subscribe: http://ab.co/1svxLVE
Read more here: https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-08-18/pfas-experts-answer-questions-on-forever-chemicals-live/105611156
00:00 Introduction
00:42 What are PFAS?
01:25 What are the health risks?
03:17 How do PFAS get into our bodies?
05:57 Haven’t some PFAS been phased out?
08:56 Can we live without PFAS?
What are PFAS and what are they used for?
Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) refers to a group of over 14,000 synthetic chemicals used in all sorts of industrial and domestic products since the 1950s.
They’re often used in firefighting foams, pesticides, building materials and electronics, as well as household products such as stain-resistant upholstery, waterproof clothing, cleaning products, cosmetics, food packaging and non-stick cookware.
How do PFAS get into our bodies?
According to the latest National Health Measures survey, most Australians have detectable levels of PFAS in our blood.
The most common types detected are perfluorooctane sulfonic acid (PFOS), perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), and perfluorohexane sulfonic acid (PFHxS), found in more than 85 per cent of the population.
The Australian government’s PFAS taskforce notes these chemicals aren’t directly manufactured in Australia, but we do know they are found in products we use and traces have been found in the environment.
Dr DeWitt says most people are exposed to PFAS through ingestion — the water they drink or the food they eat.
Pioneering research by Dr O’Carroll, in collaboration with international scientists, tested 45,000 soil and groundwater samples from around the world, and found “a substantial fraction” had PFAS levels exceeding safe drinking water guidelines.
The highest PFAS levels tended to be around known exposure sites, including training areas where firefighting foam had been in high use, or around landfills.
What are the health risks?
The science on PFAS and the potential impact on human health has been the subject of much public debate in the past few years.
Not all of these 14,000 chemicals have been closely studied. Most research has focused on the effects of well-known PFAS, often in populations who have been exposed to high doses.
Can we live without PFAS?
Dr DeWitt wants the conversation to focus on what we really need PFAS for, and to consider limiting our use to chemicals that are “essential for the health, safety and functioning of society, and for which there are no alternatives”.
“So, do you have to have a sofa in your house that has a stain-resistant coating? Is it really that difficult to remove stains with soap and water?” she says.
“Do you have to have PFAS in your dental floss so that it glides perfectly between your teeth?
“I think we need to think about the essentiality of chemicals before we put them in products.”
Note: In most cases, our captions are auto-generated.
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