U.S. Congress: Ban Production and Use of PFAS

PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances) are a large group of approximately 5,000 synthetic chemicals used in a large number of consumer products and industrial applications. The major types of human exposure sources for PFAS include contaminated drinking water and ingesting food contaminated with PFAS, including fish and shellfish. Research now shows probable links between PFAS exposure and cancer, thyroid disease, high cholesterol, ulcerative colitis, and pregnancy-induced hypertension.

PFAS research also shows that the developing fetus can be exposed to PFAS when umbilical cord blood from their mothers crosses the placenta during pregnancy. Newborns can be exposed to PFAS through breast milk. Older children may be exposed to PFAS through food and water, similar to adults. In addition, toddlers and young children have a higher risk of exposure to PFAS from stain-resistant carpeting and similar products, largely due to time spent lying and crawling on floors in their early years.