By Shelby Amsel, Graduate Student in the School for Environment, UMass Boston
On October 9, 2024, Dr. Maria Beug-Deeb and Dr. Thomas Deeb, Co-Founders of T&M Associates, joined undergraduate and graduate students at UMass Boston to share their expertise on the impacts of PFAS, or the so called “forever chemicals.” Dr. Beug-Deeb and Dr. Deeb both have PhDs in Chemistry from Texas A&M University, and co-founded T&M Associates in 2002 as a woman-owned technical and marketing consulting business specializing in PFAS, food safety, agribusiness, biosecurity, construction materials, and health and environmental systems.
According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Perfluoro and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) are a class of more than 14,000 fluorine-containing organic chemicals and polymers that can be found throughout the world in air, water, and soil. These substances are called “forever chemicals” because they last for thousands of years in the environment and there is no known way to break them down. PFAS have been found to cause long-term health effects including cancer, birth defects, liver damage, and fertility issues.
Unfortunately, PFAS can be found everywhere and are nearly impossible to avoid. They are widely known for being in firefighting foams and equipment, but are also found in industrial equipment, stain and water-resistant fabrics, food packaging, non-stick cookware, seafood, beverages, meat, dairy, and even vegetables. PFAS has been found in every state in the United States and every country in Europe. Fifty thousand farms and 20 million acres of farmland in the U.S. have been identified as contaminated or possibly contaminated according to a 2022 report. In 2019 the US Department of Agriculture recalled over 300,000 pounds of processed beef and poultry due to PFAS contamination.
PFAS can enter the environment through pollution but have also been found in soil additives that are used to help improve soil quality while farming, as well as herbicide and pesticide packaging. Once in the soil they are easily absorbed by plants and animals, bioaccumulating through the food chain and ending up in our bodies through the food we eat. Dr. Beug-Deeb and Dr. Deeb included several interesting examples of recent PFAS contamination in food supply. In 2023 Kerrygold Irish butter, owned by Ornua Foods North America Inc. was sued by consumers who found PFAS in the butter. It was determined that the source of PFAS was not intentionally added to the butter itself but was absorbed from the PFAS containing packaging. A 50-state recall was issued for the product, and the packaging was changed to a safer option. Also, in 2023, the Danish government found PFAS contamination in organic eggs, and immediately issued a statement to advise parents to limit their children’s consumption of organic eggs. In this case, it was found that the source of PFAS was the organic chicken feed, which after consumption by the hens founds its way into the eggs. The chicken feed was replaced with a non-PFAS containing option and children were again able to safely consume organic eggs.
As scary as it all sounds, Dr. Beug-Deeb and Dr. Deeb assured us that the United States and European Union governments are adopting stricter regulations for PFAS limits, despite pushback from many industries who profit from the use. Consumer activism has been successful for creating awareness of PFAS, and Dr. Beug-Deeb and Dr. Deeb say it is the best way to make big changes in the industry. A rise in private third-party PFAS testing and certification has also become a popular way for businesses to reassure their customers that their products are PFAS-free. Two of the best known labels for ensuring product safety (including that the product is free from PFAS) are the Green Seal and the Green Screen for Safer Chemicals.
A recording of the presentation is available HERE to anyone interested in listening.