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“Endlessly chemical substances” have been present in standard bandages throughout the nation, in response to a research in partnership with Environmental Well being Information (EHN) and the product watchdog group Mamavation. In a report printed Wednesday, April 3, the ENH shared that 26 out of 40 bandages despatched for testing got here again with detectable PFAs—accounting for a staggering 65 p.c.
Mamavation famous that the “bandages [tested] have been bought & donated from neighborhood members between November 2022 and February 2024 from both Walmart, CVS, Ceremony Help, Goal, or from Amazon.”
The research examined natural fluorine ranges as an indicator of PFAS contamination in bandages and ranges detected within the examined bandages ranged from 11 ppm to 328 ppm. Mamavation categorized bandages with natural fluorine ranges exceeding 100 ppm as “not our favourite,” these beneath 100 ppm as “higher bandages,” and people beneath 10 ppm as “greatest.”
Notably, ENH reported that “ten out of 16 bandages with black and brown pores and skin tones had indications of PFAS.” This contains bandages from Band-Help, Care Science, Curad, CVS Well being, Equate (Walmart), First Honey, Ceremony Help, Solimo (Amazon), and Up & Up (Goal).
The research cited the precise bandages that contained PFAs they usually additionally included ones that didn’t present dangerous ranges of natural fluorine or another dangerous substances. Amongst them: Welly Waterproof Bravery Assorted Waterproof Bandages, Trutone Pores and skin Tone Adhesive Bandages Darkish Brown, and Patch Bamboo Bandages for Children with Coconut Oil. (Yow will discover the total listing on the Mamavation web site.)
Per- and polyfluorinated substances—extra colloquially dubbed “PFAS,” or “eternally chemical substances”—are a sizzling matter throughout industries. Regardless of their intimidating identify, greedy what they’re is comparatively easy. In keeping with the United States Environmental Safety Company, they’re “extensively used, long-lasting chemical substances, elements of which break down very slowly over time.”
Whereas researchers are nonetheless investigating their potential dangers to each human well being and the setting, their presence continues to extend attributable to their gradual degradation fee. Some states, together with Minnesota, New York, and California, have taken measures to stop PFA contamination by prohibiting the substance in some merchandise. Nonetheless, the fact is that they’ve already infiltrated most product classes, together with ladies’s interval merchandise and cosmetics, reminiscent of waterproof mascara, simply to call two.
Endlessly chemical substances have been linked to adversarial well being outcomes, together with an elevated threat of creating bronchial asthma in kids, the opportunity of preterm infants amongst anticipating moms, and endocrine disruption, amongst others. Much more disturbing, a report by the Facilities for Illness Management and Prevention utilizing information from the Nationwide Well being and Vitamin Examination Survey (NHANES), discovered PFAs within the blood of a jarring 97 p.c of Individuals.
Given this context, it’s clear that PFAs in Band-Aids, or any bandage for that matter, aren’t welcome. “As a result of bandages are positioned upon open wounds, it’s troubling to study that they could be additionally exposing kids and adults to PFAS,” Linda S. Birnbaum, scientist emeritus and former director of the Nationwide Institute of Environmental Well being Sciences and Nationwide Toxicology Program and scholar at residence at Duke College, informed Mamavation.
“It’s apparent from the info that PFAS should not wanted for wound care, so it’s vital that the trade take away their presence to guard the general public from PFAS and decide as an alternative for PFAS-free supplies,” Birnbaum added.
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