From theepochtimes.com

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Industry Conspired to Conceal PFAS aCyForever ChemicalsaCO Hazards for Decades,
Study Shows

Sheramy Tsai
Jun 8 2023

In a shocking expose of global significance, confidential documents
reveal that the chemical industry hid the harmful effects of substances
known as "forever chemicals."

Investigation by researchers from the University of CaliforniaaCoSan
Francisco (UCSF), and the University of Colorado revealed the industryaCOs
strategic measures to hinder public knowledge of the toxicity of per- and
poly-fluoroalkyl substances (PFAS).  Employing similar methods first used
by Stan Glantz in his research on the tobacco industry, researchers
analyzed documents from chemical companies DuPont and 3M.

Newly published in the Annals of Global Health, aCLThe Devil They Knew:
Chemical Documents Analysis of Industry Influence on PFAS ScienceaCY
states that these chemical manufacturing giants were privy to the
detrimental effects of PFAS as far back as the 1960s.  Yet this crucial
information remained a secret from the public until the late 1990s.

A statement from the study noted that these companies had aCLdeliberately
suppressed, distorted, and obfuscated evidence of PFAS harm.aCY The
analysis claimed that these corporations withheld crucial health
information from employees and regulators.

aCLThese documents reveal clear evidence that the chemical industry knew
about the dangers of PFAS and failed to let the public, regulators, and
even their own employees know the risks,aCY Tracey J. Woodruff, senior
author of the paper, said in a statement. Woodruff is a professor at UCSF,
the director of the UCSF Program on Reproductive Health and the
Environment, and a former senior scientist and policy adviser at the
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).


Decoding the Dangers of Forever Chemicals

PFAS are a group of synthetic chemicals that have become deeply embedded in
our environment and everyday life.  The Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention (CDC) reports that there are more than 9,000 types of PFAS
substances, including PFOA and PFOS, formerly known as C8.

PFAS toxins arenaCOt only present in everyday items such as textiles,
nonstick pans, and food packaging, they also lurk in our drinking water
and food, so they affect the human population on a mass scale. According
to the CDC, a staggering 97 percent of Americans have detectable levels of
PFAS in their blood.

The persistence and accumulation of these chemicals pose significant
health risks. Studies have linked exposure to PFAS with numerous health
issues, such as decreased fertility, high blood pressure, and an increased
risk of certain cancers. Because of their widespread presence and
potential for harm, understanding these forever chemicals and their impact
on human health and ecosystems is paramount.

aCLOne common characteristic of concern of PFAS is that many break down
very slowly and can build up in people, animals, and the environment over
time,aCY the EPA stated.


Behind the Scenes: IndustryaCOs Own Studies on PFAS 

Very little was known about the toxicity of PFAS for the first half-century
of their use.  A New England Journal of Medicine paper published in 1962
claimed that Teflon was aCLphysiologically inert, insoluble, nonirritating to
the skin and nontoxic when taken by mouth.aCY

However, as early as 1959, there were warning signs of the hazards
associated with these substances when a report emerged detailing a workeraCOs
death from Teflon inhalation.  According to the study authors, this incident
didnaCOt immediately spur broader investigations into PFAS safety.  In 1961,
DuPont dismissed the workeraCOs death as a rumor.

The new study drew from 39 documents obtained through two landmark
lawsuits, Tennant v. DuPont in 1998 and Leach v. DuPont in 2002, in which
DuPont was charged with contaminating local environments and endangering
public health. These documents were donated to UCSF and the filmmakers of
the documentary aCLThe Devil We Know.aCY

Throughout the paper, researchers highlight several examples of large
corporationsaCO awareness of the potential dangers. In 1979, DuPontaCOs
private study, conducted by Haskell Labs, revealed the alarming toxic
effects of the chemical APFO, a variant of PFOA. Exposure in rats caused
liver enlargement and eye damage, while inhalation was found to be highly
toxic. Two dogs given a single dose died within 48 hours, showing signs of
cellular damage.

In 1980, DuPont and 3M surveyed employeesaCO pregnancies, identifying
three abnormalities among eight pregnancies, including birth defects and
detectable PFAS in cord blood. The companies later learned that some women
suffered miscarriages. However, these findings were neither published nor
disclosed to their employees.

Instead, DuPont decided to remove female employees from PFAS-exposed
areas, presenting the move as precautionary rather than reactionary. In a
1981 memo, it denied any evidence of adverse health effects or congenital
disabilities from exposure to C8, downplaying its toxicity by comparing it
to substances such as table salt and water.

Yet these findings were neither published in the scientific literature nor
reported to the EPA as required by the Toxic Substances Control Act. The
documents were kept confidential. In certain instances, industry
executives called for their destruction.


Same Story, Different Industry

The sway of industry over science and regulatory agencies, predominantly
steered by financial interests, has become a formidable factor in molding
public health outcomes.  This influence isnaCOt unique to the chemical sector. 
It has been consistently observed across various industries, including
tobacco, pharmaceuticals, lead, and polyvinyl chloride, according to studies
by researchers such as Bero and White in 2010.

Applying this analysis to the PFAS scandal, DuPont and 3M appear to have
engaged in systemic nondisclosure of evidence pointing toward harm, making
this an example of science concealed for commercial interests.

This example highlights a troubling industrywide practice. When faced with
evidence that may damage their financial standing or reputation, many
corporations opt for suppression and silence, undermining the publicaCOs
trust and potentially putting lives at risk.


Billion-Dollar Settlements in Chemical Pollution 

Cases As the dangers of PFAS become increasingly apparent, lawsuits related
to PFAS have surged dramatically.  At the beginning of June, three large
corporations jointly agreed to resolve PFAS-related drinking water claims
from a defined class of public water systems serving a significant portion
of the U.S.  population.  Chemours, DuPont, and Corteva collectively agreed
to establish a $1.185 billion settlement fund, as announced in a statement.

Earlier this year, the EPA proposed a federal standard to regulate several
PFAS substances in drinking water, marking a critical step in public
health protection. The EPA stated that it plans to finalize this
regulation by the end of 2023.

While some states have established laws to control certain PFAS in
drinking water, there is no federal mandate, leading to uneven testing and
filtering practices among public water systems. However, according to the
National Law Review, eight states have already filed PFAS lawsuits in 2023
alone.

Dupont, 3M Respond 3M has largely downplayed the studyaCOs revelations.

aCLThe paper is largely comprised of previously published documents,aCY it
stated, pointing out that the sources cited go as far back as 1962.

aCL3M has previously addressed many of the mischaracterizations of these
documents in previous reporting,aCY 3M told The Epoch Times in an email.

The company maintains that it hasnaCOt withheld information about the
toxicity of PFAS, a contention challenged by the UCSF study.

DuPont stated that the paperaCOs accusations donaCOt apply to its current
operations. In 2019, DuPont de Nemours was established as a specialty
products company, separate from the historical operations of E.I. du Pont
de Nemours (EID), a commodity conglomerate that spun off its chemical
businesses in 2015.

DuPont de Nemours, which inherited specialty products manufacturing from
both EID and Dow Chemical, stated that it had never produced harmful
substances.

aCLDuPont de Nemours has never manufactured PFOA or PFOS. Safety, health
and protecting the planet are core values at DuPont de Nemours. We
areaCoand have always beenaCocommitted to upholding the highest standards
for the wellbeing of our employees, our customers and the communities in
which we operate,aCY Dupont stated.

aCLTo implicate DuPont de Nemours in these past issues ignores this
corporate evolution, and the movement of product lines and personnel that
now exist with entirely different companies.aCY


Pushing for Transparency, Accountability in Chemical Industry

As the gravity of the PFAS scandal continues to unfold, it has stirred a
public demand for transparency and accountability in the chemical industry. 
Deliberate attempts to obscure the harmful effects of PFAS has provoked both
anger and fear, according to research published in the International Journal
of Environmental Research and Public Health in 2020.

aCLAs many countries pursue legal and legislative action to curb PFAS
production, we hope they are aided by the timeline of evidence presented
in this paper,aCY Woodruff said. aCLThis timeline reveals serious failures
in the way the U.S. currently regulates harmful chemicals.aCY

Feeling the increased pressure, some chemical makers have significantly
scaled back their use of these toxins. Dupont states on its website that
aCLthe companyaCOs use of PFAS is limited,aCY reporting that it does not
make or use PFOA or PFAS in the development or manufacturing of its
products.

3M vowed to stop manufacturing PFAS by the end of 2025.

aCLWe have already reduced our use of PFAS over the past three years
through ongoing research and development, and will continue to innovate
new solutions for customers,aCY it said in a December 2022 statement.
aCL3M will discontinue manufacturing all fluoropolymers, fluorinated
fluids, and PFAS-based additive products.aCY
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