If you wear any type of clothing that repels water or are using older nonstick cookware and nibble on chips out of a bag, you are exposed to “forever chemicals” — substances that don’t ever break down. They are even inside of you, in your blood. The problem is, studies have linked some of these 4,000 manmade chemicals to liver damage, kidney cancer, thyroid disease, decreased fertility and low birth weight. “There are thousands upon thousands of these,” said Ben Brown, who is heading up a working group at the Utah Department of Environmental Quality to look at the issue and form a monitoring plan. “We all use these compounds in our everyday life.” Actions to address forever chemicals are taking place on multiple fronts, involving efforts among the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, states, water providers, the Centers for Disease Control, industry and the agriculture world, to name a few. To view the full article visit the Deseret.com.
