"Forever chemicals" is clearly a scary term devoid of context. Please help me ground it. Is this a health or environmental risk? Is it potential or realized? What's the nearest comparison?
They don't break down in the natural environment, thus why we accumulate it faster than we can filter it.
They can be broken down under high pressure i.e. hydrothermal carbonization(HTC).
The only solution I can see to remove them (over the course of decades / centuries) is to run all of our sewage through HTC
Perfluoralkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) do not break down quickly and have in recent years been found in dangerous concentrations in drinking water, soils and foods.
Those words need context, otherwise this reads a lot like scaremongering. Dangerous as in close to an LD50? A minimum measured effect? Or in layman: how much worse/better are exposure to those concentrations than say time-equivalent exposure to second-hand cigarette smoke? Or first-hand.
>in drinking water, soils and foods.
Routes of introduction to people and environment are also important to understand to eliminate hazards while minimizing damage. Is the contamination a production 'sloppiness' issue? Resulting from correct or incorrect application of non-durable goods (e.g. lubricants, firefighting foam). A wear of durable goods issue (rubbers, PTFE, etc.)?
The article gives a perfectly good overview for people that don't know the term.
There are a number of dangers associated with exposure to forever chemicals. Some of the potential health effects of PFAS include:
- Increased risk of cancer: Some studies have suggested that exposure to PFAS may increase the risk of certain types of cancer, including testicular, kidney, and pancreatic cancer.
- Harm to the immune system: PFAS have been shown to impair the immune system and interfere with the body's ability to produce antibodies.
- Developmental and reproductive problems: PFAS have been linked to developmental problems in infants and children, including low birth weight and reduced fertility in women.
- Thyroid hormone disruption: PFAS have been shown to disrupt the normal functioning of the thyroid gland, which can lead to problems with metabolism and energy levels.
- Other health effects: Other potential health effects of PFAS exposure include liver damage, high cholesterol, and decreased effectiveness of vaccines.
It is important to note that the extent of the health risks associated with PFAS exposure is still being studied, and more research is needed to understand the full range of potential effects on human health.
My personal prediction is that this will be like leaded gasoline all over again, but much much worse. We're already seeing these chemicals in drinking water all over the globel, in concentrations above limits deemed "safe".