Are these forever chemicals an actual big deal? Do we have any numbers on how many people or animals they injure or kill every year? How about projections into the future? What kind of benefit do they allow manufacturers?
>Are these forever chemicals an actual big deal? Do we have any numbers on how many people or animals they injure or kill every year?
One study estimates about 30,000 to 120,000 people killed in America per year, with many more in the rest of the word. The EPA thinks reducing PFAS exposure now could save thousands of human lives per year and prevent tens of thousands of cases of human illnesses.
>How about projections into the future?
We really don't know. However, the numbers seem to have gone down significantly in recent years, perhaps due to a change in which PFAS people are exposed to.
>What kind of benefit do they allow manufacturers?
Calling PFAS miracle chemicals would be an understatement. Short chain PFAS (the dangerous kind) enable us to make PTFE, which makes surfaces almost friction-less, is compatible with almost every chemical, is largely bio-compatible, and lets water vapor through while keeping out liquid water (useful for things like waterproof jackets which don't trap sweat). They have a wide variety of other applications as well.
They act as sex hormone disruptors. Probably the number one cause of plummeting fertility across the entire world. Korea is projected to have a 95% reduction in population within three generations.
elil17|2 years ago
>Are these forever chemicals an actual big deal? Do we have any numbers on how many people or animals they injure or kill every year?
One study estimates about 30,000 to 120,000 people killed in America per year, with many more in the rest of the word. The EPA thinks reducing PFAS exposure now could save thousands of human lives per year and prevent tens of thousands of cases of human illnesses.
>How about projections into the future?
We really don't know. However, the numbers seem to have gone down significantly in recent years, perhaps due to a change in which PFAS people are exposed to.
>What kind of benefit do they allow manufacturers?
Calling PFAS miracle chemicals would be an understatement. Short chain PFAS (the dangerous kind) enable us to make PTFE, which makes surfaces almost friction-less, is compatible with almost every chemical, is largely bio-compatible, and lets water vapor through while keeping out liquid water (useful for things like waterproof jackets which don't trap sweat). They have a wide variety of other applications as well.
polski-g|2 years ago
unknown|2 years ago
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