'Forever Chemicals': Coming to an Application Near You?

We already know that the highly persistent 'forever chemicals' (per- and polyfluoroalkyls) have been linked to a variety of human ailments including kidney and testicular cancer, liver damage and reduced immune responsiveness (not a good feature in a Covid-19 pandemic). Gluge, Scheringer and Goldenman have reviewed the utilisations of these chemicals in the US (https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2020/dec/14/pfas-chemicals-health-makeup-phones-water). Their starting point, were the not unreasonable assumptions that, as PFAS were established health hazards, they would a) only be found in applications where there was no current alternative and b) would not be used in products where ingestion by humans is likely. What they found completely contradicted these assumptions. PFAS are used in fire-fighting foams, refrigerants and lithium-ion batteries but in carpets and dental floss? Amongst the lesser-known uses of these compounds they identified were bicycle lubricants (where they appear to be used as a marketing device by promising improved, largely illusionary, performance), contact lenses, a very wide range of cosmetics, hand sanitizers (boom items in the Covid-19 pandemic), mobile phones and toner/printing ink. The EU is set to limit the exposure of its citizens to PFAS but, in its 'deals', the UK might well opt into getting bigger doses.