Alaska Business November 2021

Page 26

ENVIRO NM

E N TA L

Finding an End W to the ‘Forever Chemical’ Understanding the risks and limiting the use of harmful PFAS By Rachael Kvapil 26 | November 2021

Alaska Business

hen per-and polyfluoroalkyl substances, commonly known as PFAS, first appeared in the ‘40s, this group of synthetic substances was a dream come true. With their unique ability to repel both oil and water, resist temperature, and reduce friction, chemists quickly found a use for them in all types of daily products and industries, such as non-stick cookware, paints, cosmetics, certain outerwear, to-go food containers, firefighting foam, chrome plating, electronics, construction materials, and oil recovery. However, the qualities that make PFAS substances so amazing proved problematic. By the ‘90s, studies found that PFAS substances didn't easily break w w w .a k b iz m a g .c o m


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