You may get more than you bargained for the next time you order a pizza, as a group of environmental scientists have issued a warning about chemicals known as PFASs that are used in the manufacturing of your pizza box. The chemicals, also known as polyfluoralkyl and perfluoroalkyl, are used in the manufacturing of a wide range of products including everything from pizza boxes to carpet cleaners.
"If you got a pastry with your coffee this morning, a PFAS substance probably even lined the waxy paper it was served on," writes Lynne Peeples at the Huffington Post.
So what function do PFASs serve in your pizza box? The chemical helps prevent the boxes from getting soaked by grease from a hot, freshly made pizza, and we all know how greasy pizza can be.
Scientists issued the warning on May 1 in the journal Environmental Health Perspectives and the included statement known as the Madrid Statement was signed by 200 scientists from 38 countries urging restrictions on the use of the chemicals.
"As scientists and other professionals from a variety of disciplines, we are concerned about the production and release into the environment of an increasing number of poly- and perfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs)," the statement reads.
An earlier type of PFAS was originally popularized by DuPont years ago in its Teflon products, but is no longer in use because of concerns over the chemicals lingering in the body and raising the risk of developing cancer.
In this latest warning letter, scientist warn that these replacement PFASs need far more study in order to be sure that they are actually safe and don't pose a risk of cancer to those who use goods made with the chemical.
"We call on the international community to cooperate in limiting the production and use of PFASs and in developing safer nonfluorinated alternatives," the scientists said in the statement.
"Research is needed to understand the potential for adverse health effects from exposure to the short-chain PFASs, especially regarding low-dose endocrine disruption and immunotoxicity. In parallel, research is needed to find safe alternatives for all current uses of PFASs," writes Health and Human Services official Linda Birnbaum in a companion piece. "The question is, should these chemicals continue to be used in consumer products in the meantime, given their persistence in the environment?
Representatives from the chemical industry and DuPont in particular continue to insist that the latest version of these chemicals are perfectly safe to use.
