And Where to Find Forever Chemical Testing Equipment
Per-and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are chemicals that are used in a variety of products such as cookware and packaging. Commonly, they are used for coating purposes because they are highly resistant to water, grease, oil, and other substances that may cause a stain. PFAS chemicals are also highly resistant to heat, which is why they are used in the production of non-stick cookware.
At the time of its introduction in the mid-1940s, nonstick cookware was hailed as a revolutionary product that took the industry – and housewives – by storm. No longer did people have to deal with eggs or other food products sticking to their pans and causing a huge mess for whoever was on dish duty. The same nonstick coating on cookware also had numerous consumer applications in a wide array of products.
However, it was later discovered that the chemicals used in the creation of these coatings were highly toxic and would take hundreds of years to break down and dissolve in the environment. These are known today as “forever chemicals.” Once it was discovered that forever chemicals were harmful, government regulators got far more involved and class action lawsuits spiked, many of which were aimed at the original manufacturers of the nonstick coating product.
Where Can I Find PFAS Chemicals?
There are numerous reasons why PFAS chemicals are so dangerous to humans, animals, and wildlife. The first is that because forever chemicals are found in so many different common household products, including but not limited to:
- Clothing
- Food packaging
- Cookware
- Cosmetics
- Electronics
- Construction materials, including paints, solvents, and varnishes
- Furniture
- Textiles
- Cleaning supplies
One of the most alarming statistics is that more than 2,800 locations throughout the nation are known to be contaminated by forever chemicals. The areas that are most compromised are Michigan, Virginia, Alabama, California, and the entire northeast section of the country. These areas all have reported issues with PFAS chemicals in their drinking water.
What Are the Effects of PFAS Chemicals?
The second big issue surrounding PFAS chemicals is that once these chemicals are introduced to the environment, it’s nearly impossible to undo the damage. Forever chemicals do not naturally break down in soil, nor do they dissolve naturally in water. This means that when forever chemicals enter a river, they will travel for miles throughout the country and contaminate anything they encounter – until manual human intervention.
Studies on the effects of PFAS have revealed numerous health impacts, even in small doses. Some of the most relevant health concerns include:
- Pregnancy complications and birth defects
- Issues with thyroid function and other hormonal disorders or endocrine dysfunction
- Liver complications
- Compromised immune system
- Higher risk for various forms of cancer (kidney, liver, pancreatic, and testicular)
- Increased cholesterol
Clearly, forever chemicals are a tremendous public health risk.
How to Avoid PFAS Chemicals
The best way to avoid PFAS entering your system via drinking water is to live in an area that isn’t dealing with contamination issues. States such as Wyoming, Nebraska, Iowa, North Dakota, Idaho, Oregon, Nevada, and Utah have virtually no reports of contaminated drinking water. However, it’s not always realistic for people to relocate to another part of the country.
Keeping that in mind, there are other means to mitigate the effects of PFAS by steering clear of them. They include:
- Avoiding products that use PFAS in their packaging, such as fast-food products or processed foods. Sticking with home-made meals with organic, ethically sourced ingredients is your best bet.
- Only use cast iron pans and cookware that doesn’t use non-stick chemicals.
- Always check that your products don’t contain PFAS. Avoid anything with “fluoro” in the name on the list of ingredients.
- Contact your water supplier about testing for PFAS, or use a drinking water filter to reduce the PFAS in your water.
- Consider purchasing your own forever chemical testing equipment for your household.
Where to Find PFAS Testing Equipment
Unfortunately, finding PFAS testing equipment that’s affordable and reliable isn’t something that can be accomplished at your local Walmart or Target. The good news is that if you’re reading this blog, there’s no need to look any further than the forever chemical testing equipment manufactured by Elite Robotics.
To provide some background, Elite Robotics got its start as a provider of in-house cannabis and hemp testing equipment for growers and cultivators. Our testing equipment allowed them to test samples of their own crops for cannabinoids and other key metrics without third-party labs. Not only did this save cannabis growers and cultivators time and money, but it also curbed the usage of harmful solvents and chemicals that third-party labs use during cannabis testing.
In light of the PFAS chemicals issue, we are expanding our product capability to include forever chemical testing equipment via our Analyzer product. Our goal is to make it easy and convenient for consumers and manufacturers to purchase reliable and accurate lab equipment. Using our affordable, state-of-the-art equipment, Elite Robotics puts the power of the lab in the palm of your hands.
Learn more about our lab testing equipment by contacting Elite Robotics at (805) 987-6217. Or send us a message directly using our our contact form.