DeepSummary
The podcast discusses the issue of 'forever chemicals' or PFAS, which are chemicals that do not break down in the environment. PFAS have been used in products like Teflon and are found in cookware, clothing, cosmetics, and drinking water. Research shows there is no safe level of exposure to these chemicals, which are linked to health issues like developmental delays and certain cancers.
The EPA has recently announced limits on PFAS in drinking water for the first time. The episode features an interview with Tasha Steuber from the Environmental Working Group, who discusses technologies like granular activated carbon filters, reverse osmosis membranes, and ion exchange that can remove PFAS from drinking water. However, these methods produce waste streams that need proper disposal.
While incineration is a potential disposal method, there are still questions about its efficiency and potential air pollution. At the consumer level, advanced multi-stage carbon filters can remove PFAS from drinking water at home, but they can be costly for some households. The episode also mentions that some lawsuits have been filed against PFAS manufacturers, as evidence suggests they knew about the chemicals' toxicity as early as the 1960s.
Key Episodes Takeaways
- PFAS, or 'forever chemicals,' are a major environmental and health concern due to their persistence and links to health issues like developmental delays and certain cancers.
- Technologies like granular activated carbon filters, reverse osmosis membranes, and ion exchange can remove PFAS from drinking water, but proper disposal of the waste generated is still a challenge.
- The EPA has recently announced limits on PFAS in drinking water for the first time, addressing a long-standing issue.
- Advanced multi-stage carbon filters can remove PFAS from drinking water at home, but they can be costly for some households.
- Evidence suggests that PFAS manufacturers like DuPont and 3M were aware of the chemicals' toxicity as early as the 1960s, leading to lawsuits against them.
- While incineration is a potential disposal method for PFAS waste, there are still questions about its efficiency and potential air pollution.
- Removing PFAS from drinking water is a complex issue that requires addressing both the removal process and the proper disposal of the resulting waste.
- The episode highlights the ongoing efforts to address the widespread presence of PFAS in various products and the environment, as well as the potential health risks associated with exposure.
Top Episodes Quotes
- “We still don't yet have good disposal methods.“ by Tasha Steuber
- “It turned out some workers there had given birth to babies with a series of ailments. One had the chemicals in its cord blood, another was born with eye defects and just one nostril.“ by Lily Jamali
- “PFAS exposure has been linked to developmental delays and certain cancers, among a host of other conditions.“ by Lily Jamali
- “Time magazine reports some of the largest PFAS manufacturers, including Dupont and three M, had preliminary evidence that forever chemicals were toxic as early as the 1960s. But it wasn't until the late 1990s that the public started to hear about their potential dangers.“ by Lily Jamali
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Episode Information
Marketplace Tech
Marketplace
4/17/24
When the chemical company DuPont unveiled Teflon in 1946, nonstick pots and pans seemed like a miracle. We now know their coatings contain “forever chemicals,” or PFAS, which don’t break down. These compounds are not only in cookware but in clothing, cosmetics and more — and they contaminate the water millions of us drink. Research shows there’s no safe level of exposure. As the EPA rolls out new limits on PFAS in drinking water, Marketplace’s Lily Jamali asked Tasha Stoiber, senior scientist at the Environmental Working Group, about the tech used to filter it.