PFAS PREVALENCE, RISKS & ACTION STEPS

PFAS, aka per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, have been widely used since the 1940s in manufacturing and consumer products, and are now recognized as persistent environmental contaminants that accumulate in living organisms with documented health impacts.

PFAS exposure poses serious health risks, particularly for our most vulnerable populations:

• Reproductive effects including decreased fertility and increased high blood pressure (preeclampsia) in pregnant women
• Developmental effects in children, including low birth weight, accelerated puberty, bone variations, and behavioral changes
• Increased cancer risk (prostate, kidney, and testicular)
• Reduced immune system function and vaccine response

Pregnant and lactating women are at higher risk because they drink more water per pound of body weight, and children are particularly vulnerable due to their higher consumption rates and developmental sensitivity.

While toxicological studies have identified serious health effects associated with PFAS exposure, there remains a significant gap in public knowledge, particularly regarding how individuals can identify common sources of exposure and take practical steps to reduce risk in their daily lives.

PFAS are not only found in drinking water, as is perhaps more widely known, but in a wide range of consumer and household products.  Many Delaware residents are unaware that PFAS exposure can occur through everyday household items such as nonstick cookware, water-repellent clothing, stain resistant fabrics, cosmetics/personal care products, food packaging, carpets, cleaning supplies, dental floss, single-use plastic water bottles, and drinking water.