Chemicals
Study finds brominated flame retardants in firefighter turnout gear, including newer PFAS-free models
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A U.S. study has found brominated flame retardants in firefighter turnout gear, including in newer models marketed as PFAS-free. Published on December 16 in Environmental Science & Technology Letters, the research reports that some of these flame retardants appear at higher extractable levels than PFAS in certain gear layers, raising fresh questions about potential health risks to firefighters.
The Leverkusen-based company Bayer has scored an important legal success in its dispute with glyphosate plaintiffs in the US. The planned settlement worth 7.25 billion dollars remains with a court in Missouri.
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A new front has opened in the ongoing dispute over the safety of chemicals used in nonstick cookware. The conflict now centers on advertising claims about PFAS substances.
The 2026 Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics mark the first Games without fluorinated ski waxes, banned due to concerns over toxic PFAS chemicals. These waxes, prized for their speed on snow, have been linked to health risks and environmental contamination. Athletes and technicians now adapt to slower, more variable alternatives amid heightened competition stakes.
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Trifluoroacetic acid (TFA), a persistent pollutant known as a forever chemical, has more than tripled in the global environment over the past two decades, largely due to refrigerants that protect the ozone layer. While current levels remain below known safe thresholds, the chemical's long-term accumulation raises concerns for human health and aquatic life. Researchers urge scrutiny of newer replacements to avoid unintended environmental consequences.