Scientists Warn Against Rampant Use of Toxic Cancer Causing Chemicals in Daily Life

Commonly used substances in packaging may contain harmful chemicals that may never degrade, a group of scientists warned last week.

According to USA Today, scientists warned about using chemicals called Poly- and Perfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) which can be found both indoor and outdoor in the environment, including in animal tissue. The chemicals are human made and may not degrade at all under normal environmental conditions. These chemicals have been attributed to increased cancer risk. In animals, they have been associated with liver toxicity.

"Poly- and perfluoroalkyl acids (PFASs) are ubiquitous in our lives. These chemicals are used as surfactants and as water and oil repellents in a variety of consumer products such as cosmetics, food packaging, furnishings, and clothing. Since their initial marketing more than 60 years ago, extensive research has demonstrated that the long-chain PFASs are highly persistent, bioaccumulative, and toxic," said authors of a paper who penned an edit article in the journal Environmental Health Perspectives while speaking about long-chain PFAS.

The authors wrote about short-chain PFAS which are now increasingly being used in everything from pizza boxes to carpets. While the industry argues that the chemicals are safe, scientists have called for reassessment as studies have shown risks.