In a troubling new development, a recent study has revealed that produce grown in home gardens near a PFAS chemical plant in Fayetteville, North Carolina contains alarmingly high levels of the toxic compounds. The research, conducted by a team at North Carolina State University, tested fruits and vegetables from five gardens located within several miles of the Chemours facility and found the “forever chemicals” present in every single sample.
PFAS, or per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, are a group of synthetic compounds used in a wide range of consumer products for their water- and stain-resistant properties. However, these chemicals do not break down naturally in the environment, earning them the moniker “forever chemicals.” Even more concerning, PFAS have been linked to a host of serious health problems, including certain cancers, liver and thyroid disease, reproductive issues, and more.
Overlooked Exposure Route
While much of the focus on PFAS contamination has centered around drinking water, this new study highlights the potential for food to be a significant and often overlooked exposure pathway, particularly for those living near industrial sites that emit the chemicals.
“In some communities, exposure routes other than drinking water can be important and perhaps overlooked,” noted Detlef Knappe, a PFAS researcher at NC State and co-author of the study.
Airborne Contamination
Interestingly, the contaminated gardens in the study primarily relied on rainwater rather than groundwater for irrigation. Combined with the higher levels detected in produce downwind of the plant, the findings suggest that airborne PFAS emissions are a major contributor to the contamination. When these chemicals are released into the air by industrial facilities, they eventually settle back down to earth, accumulating in the soil and ultimately being taken up by crops.
Health Risks
The levels of PFAS detected in some of the produce samples are high enough to pose a legitimate health concern, particularly for children. The researchers calculated that a child consuming just 10 blueberries from one of the tested gardens would ingest amounts of the PFAS compound GenX equivalent to drinking an entire liter of water contaminated above the EPA’s recommended limits. Adults would need to eat around four times as many berries to reach a similar exposure level, but the researchers point out that people often eat multiple servings of produce in a sitting, compounding the risk.
Lack of Toxicity Data
Complicating matters further is the lack of definitive toxicological data for many of the specific PFAS compounds found at the highest concentrations in the tested produce. Without this crucial information, the researchers say it’s impossible to fully capture the true health risks posed by this type of exposure.
“We’re not able to capture the true risk … and that points to an urgent need – we need this toxicity data,” stressed Knappe.
FDA’s Flawed Testing
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration does conduct annual testing for PFAS in foods, but rarely reports detecting the chemicals. However, independent scientists have criticized the agency’s methodology, arguing that the minimum detection thresholds are set unreasonably high, essentially allowing the FDA to claim lower levels of contamination than may actually be present. In fact, when the FDA tested produce grown near the same Chemours facility back in 2018, it initially found PFAS in 108 samples, only to later revise its findings down to just 36 using its questionable protocols.
Study Limitations and Implications
While this study clearly demonstrates the potential for significant PFAS contamination in produce grown near industrial sites, the authors caution that the findings can’t necessarily be extrapolated to the broader food supply, as all of the tested gardens were in close proximity to a known polluter. Nonetheless, the research underscores the need for more comprehensive testing and stricter regulations on PFAS emissions and waste disposal to protect public health, particularly for frontline communities living in the shadow of these facilities.
As the evidence of widespread PFAS contamination in our environment and food supply continues to mount, it’s becoming increasingly clear that a multi-faceted approach will be necessary to address this complex problem. From improving testing and monitoring to implementing stronger pollution controls and accelerating research on the health impacts of these persistent chemicals, there is much work to be done to safeguard public health and the integrity of our food system in the face of this growing threat.
