THOMPSON: Why we should be concerned about government, corporate inaction on 'forever' chemicals

  OPINION Back in 1982, I recall talking with a scientist at E. I. du Pont de Nemours and Company…a man so brilliant he was nominated for the Nobel Prize in Physics. I worked for the company - better known simply as DuPont, as well - handling media relations and writing speeches. I was gathering background information for a speech, and as the interview transitioned from research to more casual conversation, I asked the scientist - who had worked his entire career at DuPont - one final question. “Is there anything that worries you about the chemicals you’ve worked with your entire career?” I don’t know why I asked that, really. Perhaps, dangerous chemicals were top of mind since months before I dealt with a situation at DuPont’s Niagara Falls Plant…next door neighbour to Hooker Chemical Company…the folks who caused the infamous “Love Canal” debacle. He answered slowly…taking time to give some obvious thought to my query. “Well, I am concerned with ‘forever chemicals’…manmade substances that never go away.” He was talking about a whole class of chemicals - about 9,000 - called PFAs…perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances. They are found in more consumer, commercial and industrial products than I could list here…everything from cookware and food containers to makeup and firefighting equipment and foam retardants. The scientist told me, arching one eyebrow, that like the dangers of tobacco…scientists knew PFAs were potentially dangerous…toxic…and they are ubiquitous. “Scientists knew…our scientists?” I asked. He nodded…then added, “We knew…for maybe 10 years…the public didn’t.” Scientists claim newer Teflon and other PFA non-stick finishes are safe as long as they’re not heated above 500-degrees F.  But earlier iterations of Teflon gave off fumes at lower temperatures…and PFAs were likely inhaled by millions of consumers, according to the scientist with whom I spoke. Of course, now PFAs…and their potential dangers…are widely known. You can find PFAs in the air, water and soil…around the world. They increase the risk of certain types of cancer and cause birth defects and developmental issues in children. Scientists are working to determine just how dangerous…and in what concentrations. We - and by we I mean corporations, governments and people - have taken some thoughtless, reckless actions when it comes to toxic chemicals and the environment. In fact, and sadly, we still do. One of the crazy things in both the U.S. and Canada is using sludge from wastewater treatment plants to spread on agricultural lands. Yeah, it even sounds crazy doesn’t it? And yet, farmers in the U.S. used two million tons of the stuff on 4.6 million acres in 2018, the last year I could find statistics. Farmers hold permits for sludge use on another 70 million acres. Canada put 500,000 tons of sludge on agricultural land as late as 2020. Canada monitors sewage waste for potentially harmful chemicals like chlorine, heavy metals, toxic bacteria and viruses, but not for PFAs and other toxins like microplastics, according to a Federal database that tracks pollution here. If you’re wondering, research shows PFAs can enter the human food chain through both crops and livestock. The E.P.A. has never studied PFAs in sludge…despite their use for decades. Ironically, the Agency decided on a zero tolerance policy for PFAs in drinking water. It did the same for lead…and it’s still a major issue in cities and towns across America, as well. Farmers hesitant to use chemical fertilizers or who prefer “organic” methods can use the sludge. Anecdotal evidence indicates a reliance on sludge…which further concentrates PFAs…might be dangerous. Farmers in Texas - neighbours of those using sludge - claim the stuff has killed horses, cattle and catfish in stocked ponds from seepage contamination. Again, scientists - government and otherwise - are looking into the issue…but without conclusions thus far. A few states have taken independent actions…Michigan banning beef from farms where PFA levels are high from grazing on sludge-dependent pasture…and Maine banning milk from cows where levels are extremely high. Most states and even the Federal governments in the U.S. and Canada have been slow to act…fearful perhaps of adverse economic effects…not the first time we’ve heard that excuse. Both the U.S. and Canada have long histories of letting consumer goods hit the marketplace before adequate testing ensured health and safety…mostly in the interests of Capitalism. The Trump Administration promised to study the issues in 2019, but never took any regulatory action. The Biden Administration did some better, regulating PFAs in drinking water this year. Still, too many lobbyists are tipping the scales…putting lives at risk…in favour of making money. Look, there were some good folks who worked at companies like DuPont and 3M back then…and the same can be said today. But as someone who worked at the highest levels at two of the ten largest companies in the world…I can tell you there are bad folks, as well, and some bad decisions are inevitable. Actions not in the best interests of the public are often covered up…all because the pressures to please shareholders...or avoid lawsuits…are paramount. We need to hold governments and corporations more accountable…rather than simply looking the other way. Otherwise, we’ll leave our children…and grandchildren…a catastrophe of unimaginable consequence. I wonder whether our grandchildren will one day curse our very existence. — Don Thompson, an American awaiting Canadian citizenship, lives in Vernon and in Florida. In a career that spans more than 40 years, Don has been a working journalist, a speechwriter and the CEO of an advertising and public relations firm. A passionate and compassionate man, he loves the written word as much as fine dinners with great wines. We welcome your comments and opinions on our stories but play nice. We won't censor or delete comments unless they contain off-topic statements or links, unnecessary vulgarity, false facts, spam or obviously fake profiles. If you have any concerns about what you see in comments, email the editor. mailto:news@infonews.ca