PFAS and Radon: Handle Hidden Hazards Lurking In Your Home
Per the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Per- and Polyfluorinated substances (PFAS) are a group of man-made chemicals that persist in the environment. These chemicals have been used for decades in consumer products to make them non-stick and water resistant. They are also found in firefighting foams and are applied in many industrial processes. Unfortunately, the characteristics that make them useful are the reason they persist in the environment and can bioaccumulate, or build up, in our bodies and the bodies of animals.
The good news is that there are ways to test for these hazards and steps to be taken to mitigate the risks. Your home has invisible environmental dangers that will potentially cause your loved ones health ailments. If you have a home with PFAS and radon exposure, there are radon mitigation systems that will safely keep radon at bay.
It is an unfortunate reality that human exposure to PFAS and radon is widespread. It is because it has leached into your water, soil, air and food as well as in materials found in your homes or workplaces. People are most likely exposed to these chemicals by consuming PFAS-contaminated water or food and even breathing air containing PFAS. Everyone will be exposed to PFAS in a variety of ways. Just like radon, indoor air comes from the soil underneath the home. The uranium breaks down under, radon gas forms and seeps into the house. Radon gas dissolves and accumulates in water from underground sources. The water that contains radon when used in showering, washing dishes and cooking, radon gas escapes from the water and goes into the air.
Exposure to PFAS and radon will be harmful to health. PFAS exposure just like Radon exposure will lead to adverse health outcomes. Radon enters the body in the form of tiny particles and just like PFAS it damages lung cells and leads to lung cancer. Research is underway to better understand and prevent the health effects associated with low levels of exposure to PFAS. And the most important type of air filter to reduce radon levels is an activated carbon filter. It was proven to remove chemical impurities.
For more tips on PFAS and Radon, contact Radon Systems LLC.
