PFAS
PFAS
The Ubiquitous 'Forever Chemicals'
PFAS, which stands for Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances, are a group of man-made chemicals used worldwide in industry and consumer products throughout homes, offices, schools, hospitals, cars, and airplanes since the 1940s. Defined by a fluorine-carbon foundation, the F-C bond, or Forever-Chemical bond, represents one of the strongest bonds in organic chemistry. When several F-C bonds are strung together, they inherently resist grease, water, and oil, while allowing air to pass through.
These stain-repellent properties make PFAS a widely used component of stain-resistant furniture fabrics, carpets, building materials, and everyday products like nonstick cookware and water-repellent clothing. However, these functional properties come at a cost. In recent years, PFAS have raised significant environmental and human health concerns because they are highly persistent, meaning that these chemicals never fully degrade or break down in the environment. As a result, PFAS are leaking into our environment during product production, use, and disposal.
This allows them to contaminate our soil, water, and air accumulating in the food chain and human bodies over time. Studies show over 99% of Americans have harmful forms of PFAS in their blood. According to the Environmental Working Group, an American non-profit activist group that specializes in research and advocacy in the areas of agricultural subsidies, toxic chemicals, drinking water pollutants, and corporate accountability, in June 2022 close to 2,860 locations in 50 states were confirmed to be contaminated with these highly toxic fluorinated compounds and the number is climbing. PFAS exposure has been linked to human health concerns from learning and development problems to cancer and fertility issues.
Concern about forever chemicals is prompting federal, state, and local governments to reduce human exposure to PFAS to prevent health issues. In 2022, the Environmental Protection Agency revealed a proposal designating PFAS as hazardous, requiring companies to declare when PFAS are found in a region’s water and soil. Remediation of PFAS contamination in the environment will be costly and prolonged, so it is crucial to prioritize efforts aimed at preventing PFAS pollution.
For the AEC community, the first step in reducing the use of PFAS is knowing the material ingredient data of each building product specified. Fortunately, over the last decade, great strides have been made to increase transparency and drive the industry toward healthier materials.
The introduction of transparency labels such as Declare, which requires manufacturers to disclose all intentionally-added ingredients and residuals at or above .01% of a product’s final weight; alongside mindful MATERIALS, a free platform aggregating product sustainability and transparency data, has expedited the reduction of PFAS in building products.
Other tools like Health Product Declarations, which are voluntary technical specifications provided by manufacturers that report a product's contents and associated human health and environmental risks are increasingly more available to architects and designers. Major manufacturers of products previously linked to high PFAS content, such as carpeting, resilient flooring, and textiles have phased out the use of PFAS in favor of less harmful alternatives.
By educating ourselves, requesting and reviewing ingredient disclosures, and developing safer alternatives to PFAS, architects, designers, and product representatives can harness our power to create healthier environments for our clients and families.
Interested in learning more about which building products may contain PFAS? Read this report from researchers at the Green Science Policy Institute.
Designer Monologues the Podcast from IIDA New England with your host Katie Corcoran Garcia is officially LIVE!! On this show, we’ll share the stories behind the design of repurposing, developing and reshaping our communities. Incubated from the minds and skills of New England’s talented design community, you’ll hear how visual inspiration can come from nature, our history, current trends and more as we take you on a story-telling journey behind design.
Check out the latest episode here!
Stay tuned for the next President’s Message!
Be sure to check in with the IIDA New England calendar for upcoming events (both virtual and in-person) offered in our community. Here's a sneak peek at some upcoming events:
IIDA 20th Annual Croquet Tournament // Thursday, August 10 *IN PERSON
IIDA 16th Annual Design Awards // Thursday, September 21 *IN PERSON
Also, be sure to keep an eye on our IIDA New England job postings, which are updated regularly!
Check out the list of IIDA New England Emerging Leaders Network (ELN) Class of 2022 and the Leadership Exploration & Development (LEAD) Class of 2022!
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Creative Office Resources and MillerKnoll partnered with Photys, a proprietary bifunctional small molecules platform company to assist with their new headquarters project in Waltham, MA. COR and MillerKnoll was thrilled to help them reach their goal of enhancing their brand and culture in a new space with the incorporation of furniture and color while staying within budget and on time. COR and MillerKnoll worked alongside a strong team to ensure the furniture selected would add value to the employee experience. The 20,000 square-foot space includes workstations, private offices, meeting rooms, lab seating and ancillary.
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