Officials at the agency knew about the use of potentially dangerous “forever chemicals” in protective gear years before publicly acknowledging the issue, according to emails obtained by ProPublica.
Pfas in outdoor gear are usually highly effective for waterproofing.
Unfortunately, they also leech off into the environment and basically poison it forever - thus the nickname “forever chemicals”
Goretex and waterproofing sprays and DWR coatings and treatments are usually forever chemicals. At somebody who lives in the pnw and who loves being outdoors, it’s extremely sad that we have a huge ethical obligation to not use and especially not buy that stuff anymore. Like, it’s SO good at lasting forever, that it actually lasts forever.
Like non-electric vehicles, we basically should not be buying any new of this stuff ever again. The more we act on what we are aware with, the more future possibilities of being perpetually poisoned by harmful chemicals we avoid, which also supports R&D and industry and infrastructure, and thus the economy and civilization. It’s literally better for us all.
If you’re looking for alternatives, I seem to remember Fjallraven promoting beeswax as a sustainable, non toxic improvement over no DWR treatment. It comes in a barsoap-like bar that you scrape/rub on your gear, then use your campfire, a heater, or a hairdryer to warm it up until it melts into the fabric fibers, providing some water repellency.
It’s unfortunate that teflon and pfas are harmful to people and the environment, because they are truly powerful and the stuff is the best. It’s also unfortunate that basically every time we try to not use “the bad stuff”, somehow companies find things that are even worse, and those companies cough dupont cough always know beforehand that it’s even worse and use it anyway, just like lead in gasoline through the 20th century.
But, we have to keep going forwards. Eating rocks is bad for you, so is eating poop, and so is eating dirty food, and so is eating old food, and so is eating certain kinds of food, and so is eating too much food, and so is not eating enough of certain kinds of food… And on and on and on. But, with each iteration of knowledge and experience, we learn more, and become stronger and more efficient.
And what was the problem with that? Its not like they dump old pants somewhere in nature.
Pfas in outdoor gear are usually highly effective for waterproofing.
Unfortunately, they also leech off into the environment and basically poison it forever - thus the nickname “forever chemicals”
Goretex and waterproofing sprays and DWR coatings and treatments are usually forever chemicals. At somebody who lives in the pnw and who loves being outdoors, it’s extremely sad that we have a huge ethical obligation to not use and especially not buy that stuff anymore. Like, it’s SO good at lasting forever, that it actually lasts forever.
Like non-electric vehicles, we basically should not be buying any new of this stuff ever again. The more we act on what we are aware with, the more future possibilities of being perpetually poisoned by harmful chemicals we avoid, which also supports R&D and industry and infrastructure, and thus the economy and civilization. It’s literally better for us all.
If you’re looking for alternatives, I seem to remember Fjallraven promoting beeswax as a sustainable, non toxic improvement over no DWR treatment. It comes in a barsoap-like bar that you scrape/rub on your gear, then use your campfire, a heater, or a hairdryer to warm it up until it melts into the fabric fibers, providing some water repellency.
It’s unfortunate that teflon and pfas are harmful to people and the environment, because they are truly powerful and the stuff is the best. It’s also unfortunate that basically every time we try to not use “the bad stuff”, somehow companies find things that are even worse, and those companies cough dupont cough always know beforehand that it’s even worse and use it anyway, just like lead in gasoline through the 20th century.
But, we have to keep going forwards. Eating rocks is bad for you, so is eating poop, and so is eating dirty food, and so is eating old food, and so is eating certain kinds of food, and so is eating too much food, and so is not eating enough of certain kinds of food… And on and on and on. But, with each iteration of knowledge and experience, we learn more, and become stronger and more efficient.
Firefighters wear pants
Obviously. So it was a health issue for the firefighters? Since when can PFAS cross the skin/blood barrier?