Forever Chemicals & Your Food

Hi Everyone! So sorry for this delayed posting from last week’s Good Day Alabama. I have been resting up from a COVID infection that got me mid-last week. Luckily, it is mild with few symptoms. I got my latest COVID vax in October which likely protected me from a more serious infection. I may now have what’s called “hybrid immunity” – a robust protection from COVID thanks to getting the vaccine and then having a mild “breakthrough” infection.

So, here’s what we talked about last week:  

One of My Pollinator Pals

On November 24 the EPA approved 10 different pesticides containing isocycloseram – a “forever chemical” - for agricultural, turf, and indoor pest control use. That means it can be sprayed on golf courses, lawns, and crops like oranges, tomatoes, almonds, peas, and oats. But is isocycloseram really a forever chemical? And is it dangerous to human health? What about environmental health? The answers to these questions are not always clear.

What are “Forever Chemicals”?

• Forever chemicals are Per- and PolyFluoroAlkyl Substances. That’s a mouthful so everyone calls them PFAS (pee-fas).

• PFAS have very strong chemical bonds that keep them from breaking down. That makes them useful for certain products like non-stick pans, firefighting foams, and stain- and water-resistant fabrics. It also makes them stick around in the environment and our bodies for a long time – possibly forever.

• When people spray them on grass and fields, they run off into groundwater and local ecosystems.

• PFAS have been linked to many health issues including some cancers, liver damage, thyroid disease, and asthma, just to name a few.

• Depending on the database you look at, there are 10,000 to 15,000 of these manmade chemicals in use today.  
  

Is isocycloseram a PFAS?  

• Various groups disagree on whether isocycloseram should be classified as a PFAS.

• The EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) says it is not a PFAS while the WHO (World Health Organization) and other international groups classify it as a PFAS. It all comes down to the chemical structure and there is not agreement as to what constitutes a PFAS.  
  

How dangerous is isocycloseram to your health?

• There is not enough data to know for certain how isocycloseram affects human health. In animal models, research has shown that it can cause various organ toxicities but there is not enough research to know how it affects humans.

• The research does show that it is toxic to pollinators like bees. Pollinators are essential to fruit and vegetable production. 80% of flowering plants and many major food crops need them for reproduction. There are many different animals that act as pollinators including butterflies and hummingbirds – but bees are the most important. According to the National Park Service, pollinators are responsible for 1 out of every 3 bites of food we take each day!
  

My Echinacea Grove

What can you do now to reduce forever chemicals in your food, water, and the environment?

• Buy organic fruits and vegetables when you can.

• Wash and scrub produce – especially if you can’t afford organic. Here’s a useful website on how to wash your produce to reduce pesticide residues. The one tip I don’t fully agree with is to peel apples. There are many healthful nutrients in the skins of apples. But they are one of the crops that can have a lot of pesticide residues. If it fits into your food budget, buying organic apples would be worth it. If not, scrub them with a produce brush under running water. Even if you buy organic, it's a good idea to wash and scrub them.

• Back in 2024 the EPA issued new rules limiting the amount of PFAS in municipal drinking water. Sadly, the EPA under the newest director – Lee Zelden – has rolled back regulations on limiting several of the PFAS and extended the deadlines for compliance to regulations for others. So, you may want to filter your tap water.

• High quality home water filters can be effective in removing much of the PFAS, but they can be expensive.

• If you get a home filter, be sure it is certified to reduce PFAS, often indicated by an NSF/ANSI 53 or NSF/ANSI 58 certification.

• Plant pollinators! While this won't reduce the PFAS you are exposed to, it's a good way to help pollinators thrive. I have a vast echinacea (purple cone flower) grove that all started with one plant years ago! They return in full force each year, their numbers multiplying every spring, attracting butterflies, bees, and birds! You can go here to see what plants attract our pollinator pals: The Alabama Wildlife Federation.

This will be an ongoing topic for us to discuss as the research continues to unfold on forever chemicals and their effects on human and environmental health. I truly believe that our health is closely tied to that of our environment. We need to take care of both.

Next up on Good Day Alabama: How to Choose Safe Nutrition Supplements.

See you soon!

Beth