Hiking in the Canadian Rockies

I am happily back online after a few days in remote Assiniboine Mountain Lodge in the Canadian Rockies. Though the lack of internet was a challenge, hiking amidst spectacular meadows of brilliant wildflowers, tumbling glaciers and steep rock faces provided a welcome break from my busy life.

Next summer I’m planning an Alaskan adventure in Glacier Bay on the luxurious 12 passenger boat Sea Wolf  from July 8-17, 2023. We will travel on calm waters and enjoy the diverse wildlife, glaciers, and tranquility. I’ve reserved the boat for my friends and there are a few places left, so let me know if you’d like more information.

We’re already less than three months from the midterm elections and the stakes could not be higher. Considering climate, chemical regulation, the Supreme Court, fair elections, gun control, abortion, and so many other vital issues, everyone needs to vote. If you want to help with voter registration and democracy efforts, please write me and I will share my special newsletter with specific suggestions on how you can help preserve our democracy. In my opinion nothing is more important for our health and environment right now than everyone voting.

I also want share some useful free resources on my personal website, arleneblum.com.  If you might be planning a trip to Nepal, our easy and fun Nepalese language course  is now free for you to download. Also, you can view color images  from each chapter of my memoir Breaking Trail and reread my personal newsletters (like what you’re reading now) going back fifteen years. And check out the moving four-minute-long video of my life, produced by Dove and narrated by Mandy Moore.

I was recently honored to deliver the commencement address at the University of San Francisco. My topic was Tikkun Olam, which is Hebrew for “healing the world”. I shared examples such as our Institute’s science and policy work towards a healthier world and my leading pioneering women’s mountaineering expeditions.

At the 2022 Himalayan Fair

I came away from this moving experience with an Honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters. I then had to rush over to the Himalayan Fair, which I founded 39 years ago following a year of enjoying such celebrations while I walked across the Himalayan countries. As I appreciated the vibrant energy of another successful fair, I reflected on the connection between the fair and our work to reduce toxics. It all goes back to Tikkun Olam.

As I told Earth Island Journal, “by connecting people to art, culture, and food from different communities, the fair helps foster understanding across differences. And that helps make the world a little better, in a way that’s different but just as important as keeping toxic chemicals out of our land, water, and bodies…”

In case you missed it, I was invited on NPR’s “All Things Considered” to talk about the EPA’s new health advisories for PFAS in drinking water. The resulting four-minute interview is a short primer on how to navigate a world rife with “forever chemicals.” I hope you’ll listen and share.

The new and very low EPA’s health advisory levels suggest that some PFAS can be harmful in drinking water at near-zero concentrations. This has provoked widespread concern, as it means most of the nation’s drinking water has harmful levels. Indeed, rainwater everywhere, including Tibet and Antarctica, contains the cancer-causing forever chemical PFOA at levels above the EPA’s new health advisory level.

Some good news is that advancements in home PFAS blood testing allow concerned consumers to learn their levels of 47 different PFAS. My vegan colleague, Lydia Jahl, and I recently pricked our fingers with easy home kits from Eurofins and got our surprising results quickly. Who do you think had the lowest levels? You can learn more in our September Green Science Policy newsletter. Please let me know if you’d like to subscribe to our monthly message about reducing chemical harm in addition to this quarterly newsletter.

Warm regards,

Arlene

Could There be PFAS in Your Carpet? What Can You Do?

By Jonas LaPier

                      Older carpets may have PFAS

The good news is that as of 2020 most new US carpets and rugs are free of PFAS treatments. The bad news is that if you have an older carpet, it could be treated with these potentially toxic forever chemicals. Even those with eco-labels such as Green Label Plus may contain PFAS. What can you do to reduce harm if removing and replacing the carpet is not an option for you?

Reducing household dust is the best way to minimize your family’s (and your pets’)
PFAS exposure. We recommend frequent and thorough vacuuming of all carpets and
other flooring as well as wet mopping and wet dusting of surfaces. This will also reduce
your exposure to flame retardants, lead and other harmful chemicals. A vacuum with a
HEPA filter and a mechanical power head (think a spinning brush) is most effective.
Thorough hand washing is especially important before eating, after cleaning, and for
children after playing on the floor. Placing a playmat or rug over PFAS treated carpet
may help.

Avoiding products containing PFAS–often advertised as high performance, stain or
water proof–will also help reduce your overall exposure. You can check out our PFAS-Free Page for lists of safer products without any PFAS.

Are Your Tires Killing Salmon?

By Hannah Ray

                   Swimming in tire dust

When it rains, stormwater runoff from roads washes chemicals from car tires into streams and rivers. This runoff can poison coho salmon – and thanks to a Science article, we now know why. Scientists narrowed down the chemical culprit to be a compound called 6PPD-quinone – the reaction product of ozone with 6PPD, a preservative in all road vehicle tires. The chemical stops tires from cracking and failing, but it is
poisonous to salmon and other aquatic creatures.

The Safer Consumer Products department within the California Department of Toxic Substances Control initiated rulemaking to list motor vehicle tires containing N-(1,3- dimethylbutyl)-N’-phenyl-p-phenylenediamine (6PPD) as a Priority Product. This means that tire manufacturers will need to perform an alternatives analysis – a process that evaluates toxicity of 6PPD and compares with alternative chemicals or product redesigns that could make the product safer.

For now, what can you do to reduce 6PPD emissions and protect salmon?

You can:

• Drive less. Fewer miles driven equals less tire dust.
• Keep tires properly inflated.
• Drive less aggressively – don’t “lay rubber.”
• Drive smaller vehicles – these shed less tire dust.
• Buy tires with the longest warranty period available – these are the ones that wear
  the least. (SFEI factsheet).

Your Hairstyle Will Last Long, the PFAS Will Last Longer

By Lydia Jahl

Definition of PFAS should include those in                  hairspray

When long-chain PFAS were discovered to be persistent and harmful to health, the chemical industry claimed that short-chain PFAS were a safe substitute. However, scientists soon learned that short-chain PFAS were just as problematic and that PFAS should be regulated as a class. Now, the chemical industry is claiming that ultra-short-chain PFAS should not be regarded as PFAS.

Unfortunately, some PFAS definitions used by the EPA do not include ultra-short-chain PFAS, a decision without clear reason that has been questioned by leading scientists. As I presented at a recent conference, a broader definition of PFAS including ultra-short-chain PFAS like hydrofluorocarbon & hydrofluoroolefin refrigerants and aerosol propellants is necessary for health and environmental protection.

While these ultra-short-chain PFAS are less potent greenhouse gases and less persistent than their predecessor chlorofluorocarbons, they break down into the persistent trifluoroacetic acid (TFA). TFA concentrations have been increasing worldwide in samples like Arctic ice and leaves in Germany and have even been detected in blood samples.

Hairsprays, refrigerators, and other products commonly use ultra-short-chain PFAS even though there are safer alternatives available. Refrigeration systems and electric vehicle heat pumps can use natural refrigerants. Consumers can also make a difference by avoiding hairspray or other products that use ingredients containing “fluoro” and instead seeking alternatives that use compressed air instead of PFAS.

Government Websites Obfuscate PFAS Health Risks

by Rebecca Fuoco

Trusted agencies should provide accurate and practical guidance on PFAS

What do you say to a mother who has been feeding her baby formula in water contaminated with harmful PFAS? To a community with high cancer rates who learn their drinking water has been polluted and unsafe for decades? Consumers, healthcare providers, and policymakers alike look to public health agencies for accurate information on PFAS and other chemicals of concern.

Unfortunately, our analysis of state and federal government webpages found that many are using dismissive language to communicate PFAS health risks. This isn’t just unhelpful, it’s harmful—especially for people in communities with severe drinking water contamination.

For example, many of the government educational materials we reviewed limit the discussion of PFAS health risks to equivocal statements about the existence of “some studies” showing certain PFAS “may” lead to health effects. In actuality, for certain immune, liver, reproductive, and cancer adverse outcomes, most or nearly all studies have found harm from PFAS exposure.

In its heavily cited guidance for clinicians, the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry not only uses equivocal language, but also provides examples of ways to dismiss concerns of the exposed patient.

We did find positive examples of communications from some state agencies and nonprofit groups, including the Connecticut Department of Public Health’s fact sheet, the Association of State and Territorial Health Officials Clinician FAQ, and the clinician guidance on Silent Spring Institute’s PFAS-REACH Exchange website.

Green Science Policy Institute in the News

by Rebecca Fuoco

We communicate our science to a wide audience. You can too.

Below are recent news articles, blogs, podcasts, newsletters, and more that have featured our Institute’s work and expertise.

• Climbing magazine re-published an interview with Arlene about her mountaineering and toxics work, and the connection between them.
• In a Denver Post article, Arlene connected widespread PFAS water contamination to their use in products: “This is a wake up call to limit the use of PFAS in products.”
• Arlene told NPR’s All Things Considered that the way to solve the PFAS problem is to stop using them in products: “The good news is they’re usually not necessary and there usually are safer alternatives.”
• Carol Kwiatkowski was interviewed on NPR’s 1A program about EPA’s new health advisories.
• A Chicago Tribune investigation found pervasive PFAS drinking water contamination in Illinois. “We really need to be eliminating nonessential uses of PFAS,” Arlene told the reporter.
• Our science communications officer told Popular Science that more PFAS scientists should be issuing press releases about their research.
• EcoCult links and lists our PFAS-Free List as the jumping-off point for its in-depth article on PFAS-free hiking and outdoor gear.

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