Most US sandwich baggies contain toxic PFAS ‘forever chemicals’, analysis says

Bell@lemmy.world to News@lemmy.world – 207 points – Most US sandwich baggies contain toxic PFAS ‘forever chemicals’, analysis says
theguardian.com

Testing commissioned by Mamavation blog found high levels of a marker of PFAS in nine of 11 baggies tested

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Here is the take away:

The only brand that did not show any markers of PFAS was Ziploc. Public health advocates say the best way consumers can protect themselves is to use glass containers instead of plastic.

Better Plastic Sandwich Bags like Ziploc These products were sent off to an EPA-certified laboratory and found to have no detection of organic fluorine.

Debbie Meyer Green Bags — non-detect organic fluorine

Ziploc Sandwich Bags — non-detect organic fluorine.

So a better “alternative” to Ziploc bags is Ziploc bags. This study synthesis was written by a someone that needs to retake some high school writing courses.

Or they're a master at rhetorical argumentation and wrote it that way purposefully to send the message of, There are no better alternatives.

I’m going to wager that SC Johnson’s legal team is going to knocking on some doors, given that this article says the word “ziploc” several dozen times before you scroll waaaay down and read that Ziploc brand bags don’t contain PFAS.

Edit: I’m referring to the study that this article is referring to:

https://www.mamavation.com/food/plastic-sandwich-bags-ziploc-pfas-forever-chemicals.html

The word Ziploc has fallen into the same realm as Band-aid and Kleenex.

100%

But people who skim the first couple pages of that article are totally going to get the impression that Ziploc brand bags are a problem.

If I wrote this, I would would’ve lead with that disclaimer so that didn’t have to waste time and money dealing with lawyers.

I'm really confused why the If You Care brand would have been flagged for PFAS. Unless they have another product I'm unaware of, their bags are made of uncoated paper. In other words, no plastics or waxes are used to make the product. They're even home compostable. Either they're lying out their ass, their supply line is compromised, the study/reporting on the study is wrong, or...?

My money is on: the supply line is compromised.

Pfas is in rain, pfas in tubing, gaskets, pfas in conveyor belts

Jesus fucking Christ ... 🤦🤦‍♀️🤦‍♂️

These companies are trying to kill us!

Is it even worth reporting on what has PFAS in it anymore? They're everywhere. And they'll stay everywhere, hence the 'forever chemicals' name.

It's absolutely worth it. One can drastically decrease exposure if they limit the main routes like carpets, furniture and food packaging. The blood level of PFAS matters even if we're all PFAS brothers and sisters.

I think it is. The more awareness people have, the more solutions we'll have to work around this global fuck up we've inherited. Use glass, foil, or PFAS-free silicone food containers. Get a water filter that removes PFAS. Buy different cookware without PFAS.

The idea is to avoid exposure where possible. Currently it's impossible to avoid it entirely and this has probably been the case for years. Hopefully we can have produce and products that don't have it in the future.

But baggies?! If it's found in such a simple product with no obvious reason to need slick waterproofing...then yeah it's in everything

I don't know, I kind of want my plastic baggies to be waterproof.

The plastic itself is the barrier. It doesn't need any help.

They won't stay everywhere. They're very durable, but nothing is permanent. And there are currently processes in development to break them down.

And your body will eliminate them naturally, though it takes a long time. Meanwhile, you can reduce your PFAS exposure to slow or stop any increase of accumulation.