Note: Single-source report; awaiting corroboration.
Bethanie Carney Almroth, a UN environmental scientist, raised concerns about per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), known as 'forever chemicals.' PFAS are found in many consumer products and persist in the environment for centuries without viable remediation methods.
Exposure to PFAS occurs across their lifecycle—from production to contamination in food and water—posing risks to hormone systems, liver, and immune health. These chemicals can cross the placenta and have been detected in umbilical cord blood and breast milk, potentially impacting critical developmental stages.
Carney Almroth noted that PFAS contamination undermines several human rights, including the rights to life, health, a healthy environment, safe workplaces, and access to information and justice.
She emphasized the global justice aspect, pointing out that PFAS are primarily produced in industrialized countries but spread worldwide through emissions and trade. Disadvantaged groups such as workers, women, children, Indigenous Peoples, and people of African descent often face the highest exposure and risks.
The expert called for a human-rights based approach that examines who is exposed and who benefits, stressing the need to prevent contamination rather than focus only on cleanup. Citing a UN report, she advocated for urgently banning all non-essential PFAS uses to prevent potentially irreversible harm.
Carney Almroth also highlighted the importance of ensuring states, courts, and partners have access to reliable information on toxic pollution. She underscored the need to protect independent science against conflicts of interest and misinformation.