Forever Chemicals

In this new ten-part series, we sat down with countless experts from brands like Fjallraven and Outdoor Research along with scientists, lawyers, and law makers that all have a stake in how PFAS is used, and how it is now being eliminated. Over the course of ten episodes, we’ll investigate the origins, rise, and now phase out of the forever chemicals PFAS (previously known as PFCs). With more companies beginning to understand the dangers of these commonly used chemicals, they’re being phased out to keep up with new laws and to ensure company ethos aligns with production. However, many consumers still don’t know what they are or why they should care about them. That’s where we come in– to be a direct line to people in and outside the industry and help everyone understand what PFAS are and why we should stop using them.  If you’re wondering how we can make a difference in the fight against PFAS pollution and keep our planet and our health on the forefront of producers minds, tune into Forever Chemicals, coming March 2024. INSTAGRAM: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/outdoor.minimalist.book/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://www.instagram.com/outdoor.minimalist.book/] WEBSITE: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.theoutdoorminimalist.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://www.theoutdoorminimalist.com/] YOUTUBE: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/@theoutdoorminimalist⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://www.youtube.com/@theoutdoorminimalist] Fund the Forever Chemicals 10-Part Podcast⁠: https://gofund.me/77aac225 [https://gofund.me/77aac225]

A new podcast from Canada's National Observer tells the story of a firefighter’s wife and a corporate lawyer in different parts of the U.S. who get pulled into solving separate mysteries.  Something was making cows die and deer haemorrhage to death in West Virginia. That same something could also be giving firefighters cancer – all over the country. When the lawyer and the firefighter’s wife met, they found out they were working on the same mystery. The mystery was caused by a man-made chemical that environmental regulators should have known about but didn’t.  A chemical that is said to be so toxic it is unclear if any contact with it is safe. The chemical was created by a corporate giant, and then another corporate giant began using it to provide the world with so-called revolutionary products. Products, it turns out, come with a very steep price. This is a fascinating story of two people unravelling a ball of yarn that would reveal the poisoning of the world. Listen to all five episodes now: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-poison-detectives/id1730547253

Throughout this ten-part series, scientists, lawyers, advocates, and product producers all weighed in on our worldwide PFAS problem. While, yes, we have come a long way in understanding the scope of the issue and began moving away from PFAS, at least in the outdoor industry, many questions still remain.  One of the primary questions is, what should we do with all the old PFAS already in the environment? Guests featured in this episode: - Scott Wilson, Regenesis [https://regenesis.com/en/] - Philippe Grandjean, Environmental Epidemiologist - Matthew Eshed, Research Fellow - Stefan Posner, Polymer and Textile Chemist [https://stefanposner.com/home] - Kevin Myette, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Bluesign⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://www.bluesign.com/en/] - Greg Breitmaier, Mystery Ranch [https://www.mysteryranch.com/] - Alex Lauver, ⁠⁠⁠⁠Outdoor Research⁠⁠⁠ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/alex-lauver/] - Regina Goller, ⁠⁠⁠Jack Wolfskin⁠⁠ [https://us.jackwolfskin.com/] - Ammi Borenstein, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Snaplinc Consulting⁠⁠⁠⁠ [http://snaplincconsulting.com/] - Mike Schade,⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠Toxic Free Future⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://toxicfreefuture.org/] If you want to learn more about what PFAS are, where they are found, the proven health effects, how you can limit your exposure, up to date news on PFAS, and how to get involved in PFAS regulatory efforts visit  ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Toxicfreefuture.org⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://toxicfreefuture.org/]  ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Foodandwaterwatch.org ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://www.foodandwaterwatch.org/] Or  ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Pfascentral.org ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://pfascentral.org/] INSTAGRAM:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/outdoor.minimalist.book/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://www.instagram.com/outdoor.minimalist.book/] WEBSITE:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.theoutdoorminimalist.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://www.theoutdoorminimalist.com/] YOUTUBE:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/@theoutdoorminimalist⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://www.youtube.com/@theoutdoorminimalist] Fund the Forever Chemicals 10-Part Podcast⁠: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://gofund.me/77aac225⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://gofund.me/77aac225] ----------------------- Snaplinc Consulting provided expert fact checking and guidance for the creation of this podcast. Snaplinc Consulting provides corporate sustainability strategies and ESG support across a broad range of industries including apparel, footwear, home furnishings, software, cosmetics, professional services and more. Head to⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠snaplincconsulting.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [http://snaplincconsulting.com/] to learn more and contact the experts to guide you through complex topics like CSRD, PFAS, greenhouse gas assessments, SBTi, CDP, EcoVadis, B Corp and many more compliance and certification frameworks. ----------------------- Episode Resources Safer States: https://www.saferstates.org/priorities/pfas/ EPA Drinking Water Standards: https://www.epa.gov/sdwa/and-polyfluoroalkyl-substances-pfas CERCLA: https://www.epa.gov/system/files/documents/2024-04/pfas-enforcement-discretion-settlement-policy-cercla.pdf

Throughout this series, we’ve learned not only about how harmful PFAS is as a class of chemicals but also what the outdoor industry is doing to address the issue. While we may have started too late, we are on the right track now, but the work is far from over.  Guests featured in this episode: - Alex Lauver, ⁠⁠⁠Outdoor Research⁠⁠ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/alex-lauver/] - James Pollock,⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠Marten Law LLP⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://www.martenlaw.com/our-people/james-b-pollack] - Mike Schade,⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠Toxic Free Future⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://toxicfreefuture.org/] - Ammi Borenstein, ⁠⁠⁠Snaplinc Consulting⁠⁠ [http://snaplincconsulting.com/] - Eva Karlsson, ⁠⁠⁠Houdini Sportswear⁠⁠⁠ [https://houdinisportswear.com/en-us] - Regina Goller, ⁠Jack Wolfskin [https://us.jackwolfskin.com/] - Donna Bruns, ⁠⁠⁠Fjallraven⁠⁠⁠ [https://www.fjallraven.com/us/en-us] - Martin Axelhed, ⁠⁠⁠Fjallraven⁠⁠ [https://www.fjallraven.com/us/en-us] - Kevin Myette, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Bluesign⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://www.bluesign.com/en/] - Gabriella Whittaker, PolyCore Solutions [https://polycoresolutions.com/] - Kirsten Blackburn, ⁠⁠⁠Keen Footwear⁠⁠⁠ [https://www.keenfootwear.com/] If you want to learn more about what PFAS are, where they are found, the proven health effects, how you can limit your exposure, up to date news on PFAS, and how to get involved in PFAS regulatory efforts visit  ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Toxicfreefuture.org⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://toxicfreefuture.org/]  ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Foodandwaterwatch.org ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://www.foodandwaterwatch.org/] Or  ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Pfascentral.org ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://pfascentral.org/] INSTAGRAM:⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/outdoor.minimalist.book/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://www.instagram.com/outdoor.minimalist.book/] WEBSITE:⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.theoutdoorminimalist.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://www.theoutdoorminimalist.com/] YOUTUBE:⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/@theoutdoorminimalist⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://www.youtube.com/@theoutdoorminimalist] Fund the Forever Chemicals 10-Part Podcast⁠: ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://gofund.me/77aac225⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://gofund.me/77aac225] ----------------------- Snaplinc Consulting provided expert fact checking and guidance for the creation of this podcast. Snaplinc Consulting provides corporate sustainability strategies and ESG support across a broad range of industries including apparel, footwear, home furnishings, software, cosmetics, professional services and more. Head to⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠snaplincconsulting.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [http://snaplincconsulting.com/] to learn more and contact the experts to guide you through complex topics like CSRD, PFAS, greenhouse gas assessments, SBTi, CDP, EcoVadis, B Corp and many more compliance and certification frameworks. ----------------------- Sources Toxic Free Future. PFAS in Stain & Water-Resistant Products Study: Toxic Convenience. Retrieved from https://toxicfreefuture.org/research/pfas-in-stain-water-resistant-products-study/toxic-convenience/#:~:text=Our%20testing%20found%20not%20just,water%20resistance%20are%20in%20use [https://toxicfreefuture.org/research/pfas-in-stain-water-resistant-products-study/toxic-convenience/#:~:text=Our%20testing%20found%20not%20just,water%20resistance%20are%20in%20use] Resources Mentioned https://greenthemetech.com/ [https://greenthemetech.com/]  https://www.chemforward.org/ [https://www.chemforward.org/]

If you’ve listened to the Forever Chemicals podcast up until this point or followed the global contamination issue over the last few decades, then you’ll know the name Robert Bilott.  In this exclusive season one BONUS episode, we hear from Robert Bilott on the current state of the PFAS problem. He emphasizes the crucial role of litigation and advocacy in pushing for necessary regulation, making it clear that our involvement is not just important, but necessary. The New York Times dubbed Robert Bilott, the “lawyer who became DuPont’s worst nightmare” for his 19-year lawsuit exposing the scientific coverups of chemical companies using PFAS and effectively polluting the planet.  In 1999, Robert Bilott was approached by a West Virginia farmer, Wilbur Tennant, regarding a mystery pollutant running off onto his farm, killing his cattle and making his family sick. Flash forward 20+ years. After winning his initial lawsuit for the Tennants against DuPont and then representing 70,000 citizens in Parkersburg, West Virginia, Robert Bilott continues to forge a path ahead, protecting citizens in the United States and abroad from continued PFAS pollution and contamination. INSTAGRAM:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/outdoor.minimalist.book/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://www.instagram.com/outdoor.minimalist.book/] WEBSITE:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.theoutdoorminimalist.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://www.theoutdoorminimalist.com/] YOUTUBE:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/@theoutdoorminimalist⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://www.youtube.com/@theoutdoorminimalist] Fund the Forever Chemicals 10-Part Podcast⁠: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://gofund.me/77aac225⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://gofund.me/77aac225] ----------------------- Robert Bilott Taft Law Firm: https://www.taftlaw.com/people/robert-a-bilott/ [https://www.taftlaw.com/people/robert-a-bilott/] Exposure | Book by Robert Bilott: https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/Exposure/Robert-Bilott/9781501172823 [https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/Exposure/Robert-Bilott/9781501172823] The Devil We Know Documentary: https://youtu.be/7cCkADnhRqk?si=0cI4FWK0jMMBRp7b [https://youtu.be/7cCkADnhRqk?si=0cI4FWK0jMMBRp7b] Dark Waters Film: https://youtu.be/RvAOuhyunhY?si=5v4QJO_y__lztRDZ [https://youtu.be/RvAOuhyunhY?si=5v4QJO_y__lztRDZ] ----------------------- Resources Recent EPA Ruling: https://www.epa.gov/newsreleases/biden-harris-administration-finalizes-first-ever-national-drinking-water-standard [https://www.epa.gov/newsreleases/biden-harris-administration-finalizes-first-ever-national-drinking-water-standard] Hazardous Substances under Superfund: https://www.epa.gov/newsreleases/epa-proposes-designating-certain-pfas-chemicals-hazardous-substances-under-superfund [https://www.epa.gov/newsreleases/epa-proposes-designating-certain-pfas-chemicals-hazardous-substances-under-superfund] RCRA: https://www.epa.gov/hw/proposal-list-nine-and-polyfluoroalkyl-compounds-resource-conservation-and-recovery-act [https://www.epa.gov/hw/proposal-list-nine-and-polyfluoroalkyl-compounds-resource-conservation-and-recovery-act] CA AB 1817: https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billNavClient.xhtml?bill_id=202120220AB1817 [https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billNavClient.xhtml?bill_id=202120220AB1817] Environmental Working Group: https://www.ewg.org/areas-focus/toxic-chemicals/pfas-chemicals [https://www.ewg.org/areas-focus/toxic-chemicals/pfas-chemicals] Green Science Policy Institute: https://greensciencepolicy.org/our-work/pfas/ [https://greensciencepolicy.org/our-work/pfas/] ----------------------- If you want to learn more about what PFAS are, where they are found, the proven health effects, how you can limit your exposure, up to date news on PFAS, and how to get involved in PFAS regulatory efforts visit  ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Toxicfreefuture.org⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://toxicfreefuture.org/]  ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Foodandwaterwatch.org ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://www.foodandwaterwatch.org/] Or  ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Pfascentral.org ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://pfascentral.org/] ----------------------- Sources Birsch, S., & Konsmo, M. (Directors). (2018). The Devil We Know [Documentary film]. Atlas Films.