Thursday, September 18, 2025

Polaris of Enlightenment

How to avoid PFAS in everyday life

Published 25 April 2025
– By Editorial Staff
5 minute read

PFAS are present almost everywhere in our daily lives – but there are ways to reduce both intake and release into the environment. Simple measures can help reduce exposure and better protect both health and nature.

PFASs are a group of about 15,000 identified substances, all with varying properties and wide use in society. Common to all PFAS substances is that they are very difficult to break down and some PFAS can have harmful effects, both for humans and the environment. All PFAS substances are synthetically produced and do not occur naturally in the environment.

Studies show that there are links between several health problems and exposure to PFASs, such as cancer, liver damage, reproductive impairment, intestinal diseases and thyroid disorders, according to Naturskyddsföreningen. Some studies show that girls with high levels of PFAS in their blood started menstruating earlier than girls with lower levels, while other studies show that pregnant women with PFAS in their blood are at risk of their children becoming overweight later on. Children are particularly vulnerable to the toxic chemicals as their organs are still developing, and last year researchers alerted that Norwegian babies had particularly high levels of PFAS in their blood, including as many as 78% of six-month-olds.

About nine years ago, the much-publicized PFAS scandal in Kallinge came to light. After the Swedish Armed Forces used a fire-fighting foam containing the dangerous chemicals, these had been dispersed into the water for several decades, which the people of Kallinge had been drinking without knowing it. Samples showed greatly elevated levels of PFAS. After many court cases, the Kallinge residents were finally awarded damages.

Following the scandal, a number of residents in the area have been diagnosed with cancer, including Louise Karlsson, who has bladder cancer, and her son, who has the chronic intestinal disease Crohn’s.

– Yesterday I found out about two more cancer cases here, one with throat cancer and one with rectal cancer. Several of us have been affected, one after the other, said Kallingebon to TT in 2023.

Avoid microwave food

Since 2023, there are limit values for the amount of PFAS that may be present in food in the EU. According to the Swedish Society for Nature Conservation (Naturskyddsföreningen), however, these values are not based on what is safe for health.

Unfortunately, there are so many PFAS in nature that some foods would not be allowed to be sold if the limit were set from a health perspective”, writes the association.

So it can still be useful to know where most of the dangerous chemicals are found, even if it is difficult to avoid them completely. PFASs repel grease, dirt and water. This is why they are often found in food packaging, such as microwave foods. They can also be found in fast food packaging.

Unfortunately, a lot of fish and shellfish contain these harmful substances. Swedish fish and even crayfish have been found to contain high levels and the Swedish Society for Nature Conservation advises against eating fish and shellfish from lakes near communities or industries.

PFAS are often found in pesticides, so choosing organic fruits and vegetables can be beneficial.

Avoid: Teflon and paper cups

When cooking, it is safer to use glass, porcelain, stainless steel and cast iron pans, pots and pans. Avoid those with non-stick coatings, such as Teflon.

Many textiles on the market have dirt-repellent impregnations, such as carpets, some sofas and tents. When buying a sofa, for example, you are more likely to sit PFAS-free if you choose one with a washable cover.

It is also said that paper and plastic cups are real PFAS bombs and since PFAS substances are digested by hot drinks such as coffee, tea or chocolate, it is better to use porcelain cups.

Another somewhat unexpectedly PFAS-intensive product is receipt paper, so it may be wise to rinse your hands after fiddling with a receipt and wear suitable work gloves if you work daily with receipts in any form.

Found in all drinking water

Today, there is a recommendation of a limit value of 4 ng/L in drinking water, which will become legally binding from 2026. PFAS is found in almost all Swedish drinking water, but only one in ten municipalities currently exceeds the limit value. To find out what the situation is in your municipality, you can contact the water companies, which often indicate the level on their website. If you have your own well, you can contact your municipality’s environmental administration for advice on how to test your water.

There are filters on the market for the purpose of purifying water from PFAS, but the documentation on the effectiveness of these is limited.

Think about cleaning

PFAS are commonly found in laundry and cleaning products, especially in floor polish and impregnation for stone, grout, tiles and clinker. However, product labels such as Bra Miljöval, Nordic Swan, Ecocert should be completely free of PFAS. Other common labels such as Blauer Engel, TCO and EU Organic are more product specific.

PFAS have been found in face creams, face masks, eyeliners, foundations, high lighters, hair oil, lip pencils, shaving cream, mascaras, primers, powders, serums, toothpicks, eye pencils and eye shadows of several brands on the Swedish market.

A study published in 2018 by Stockholm University and others tested cosmetic products sold in Sweden. It found known PFAS substances in 16 out of 31 products tested. In some products, the level of the hazardous PFAS substance PFOA was so high that it could pose a health hazard in daily use.

As the PFAS substances mentioned above are often water, grease and dirt repellent, they can often be found in waterproof mascara or in foundation. Avoid products with ingredients containing “PTFE”, “polytef”, “perfluoro” or “polyfluoro” in the name. This does not guarantee complete avoidance of the substances, as they can slip into products unintentionally, but it is a good indicator to start with. Some products are also explicitly labeled as “PFAS-free”.

Sportswear contributes to environmental poisoning

Even impregnation for shoes and clothes often contains PFAS substances. It is better to choose Nordic Swan Ecolabeled products or impregnation made of wax. For skis, you should choose fluorine-free ski wax, and for bicycles it is best to choose car wax or lubricating oil that does not contain PTFE.

Unfortunately, functional clothing and shoes often contain PFAS. According to the Swedish Society for Nature Conservation, this is not dangerous to use, but it does contribute to the release of these substances into the environment. In this context, don’t forget the possibility of shopping second hand, or why not go to a clothing swap day?

TNT is truly independent!

We don’t have a billionaire owner, and our unique reader-funded model keeps us free from political or corporate influence. This means we can fearlessly report the facts and shine a light on the misdeeds of those in power.

Consider a donation to keep our independent journalism running…

“Climate catastrophe in computer models”

The exaggerated climate crisis

Computer models warning of Gulf Stream collapse are based on incorrect assumptions about Greenland ice sheet melting. Media worsens the situation by incorrectly calling computer simulations "studies", writes Tege Tornvall.

Published yesterday 16:35
– By Tege Tornvall
Photo: iStock/gorodenkoff
2 minute read

Much of the world’s climate research is conducted using computers. Various hypothetical scenarios (sequences of events) are run with different assumptions about influencing factors. Depending on the chosen assumptions, they naturally produce different results.

Media incorrectly calls such computer runs “studies”. This gives the impression that they would actually happen in reality. But they don’t. They are simply assumptions. Computers calculate based on what they are fed.

A current example concerns the Atlantic’s major ocean current AMOC (Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation). This includes the Gulf Stream, which gives western Europe a milder climate than we would otherwise have. German professor Stefan Rahmstorf and others have calculated its possible development.

The assumption is that more carbon dioxide in the atmosphere would cause Greenland’s large ice sheet to melt. Based on this, computer models calculate the possible risk that the Gulf Stream would weaken or even collapse. This would likely give us a colder climate.

The computers seem to have run hot. With continued increasing CO2 levels, 70 percent of model runs show that the Gulf Stream would collapse before 2100. Even with less CO2 input, they calculate a 25 percent risk of collapse.

But the assumption itself is flawed. Partly because higher CO2 levels have marginal and logarithmically decreasing warming effects in the atmosphere. Partly because Greenland’s large ice expanses have annual average temperatures of minus 20-30 degrees Celsius.

Returning researchers find their camps covered with snow and ice. The old US military base Camp Century in northwestern Greenland has been covered with 30 meters of ice since it was closed over 50 years ago.

That surrounding sea ice decreases in summer and grows in winter does not affect sea level and hardly affects currents either.

Even though some researchers warn of a weaker Gulf Stream, others do not. According to ocean researcher Léon Chafik at Stockholm University, Sweden, we should not let ourselves be frightened by speculation that the Gulf Stream will soon collapse. His colleague Frederik Schenk urges us to stop alarming about the Gulf Stream.

 

Tege Tornvall

Logging in Sweden may have worsened the flood disaster

Published yesterday 11:55
– By Editorial Staff
A freight train carrying ammunition and diesel derailed after the heavy rainfall.
2 minute read

The Swedish Forest Agency has warned for several years that logging near infrastructure increases risks during flash floods. Now an analysis shows that logging may have partially contributed to the recent disasters in Västernorrland, northern Sweden.

In recent weeks, flash floods in Västernorrland, a county in northern Sweden, have caused chaos in society. A large number of roads have been destroyed, trains carrying hazardous goods have derailed, and one person has died as a result of the disasters. In Kramfors, for example, 123.5 millimeters of rain fell in one day, which is the highest recorded in September since 1913 – according to statistics from SMHI (Swedish Meteorological and Hydrological Institute).

One of the causes behind the chaos may be Swedish forestry, according to an analysis conducted by the Swedish Forest Agency. Two of the worst disasters in Västernorrland have occurred in areas where large amounts of forest have been logged in recent years, shows the data that Bonnier publication DN has accessed.

One disaster occurred outside Härnösand, where a man drove into a crack in a destroyed road and died. The other disaster involved a freight train that derailed in Skorped by a lake, where the train contained ammunition and diesel among other things.

The Swedish Forest Agency has warned that extensive logging can affect vital societal functions for several years, especially when it occurs on steep slopes. In several reports submitted to the Swedish government, the agency has raised this issue, but nothing has happened.

We have warned about the risks for a very long time and it seems to be exactly what we’re seeing examples of now. We need to do a proper analysis of cause and effect clearly, but based on what we know about how logging affects runoff, it looks problematic, says Anja Lomander, soil specialist at the Swedish Forest Agency.

“Must change quickly”

Forest logging can cause runoff to double during flash floods, since the trees are not there to both catch water in the tree crowns and absorb it through the roots, something that is particularly risky on steep slopes. Vehicle tracks and ditches also make it easier for water to flow down, and these types of logging operations have increased in Sweden in recent years.

Lomander believes there is a lack of both knowledge and resources in the area, and that current regulations mean the Swedish Forest Agency’s reviews of forest owners’ logging notifications are insufficient.

It must change quickly so that no more lives are lost and so that the costs to society don’t become enormous, she says.

Corona face masks – an environmental catastrophe

Published 16 September 2025
– By Editorial Staff
During the coronavirus crisis, an estimated 129 billion face masks were used worldwide.
3 minute read

Billions of face masks were used every month during the coronavirus crisis without being properly recycled. Now researchers are warning about the microplastics and hormone-disrupting chemicals released when the masks begin to break down in nature.

During the coronavirus crisis, a large portion of the world’s population was forced to use face masks to move around in society in the belief that it would reduce the risk of infection spread, something that authorities strongly claimed despite there being very weak support for that hypothesis. In many places, children were also required to wear face masks, despite experts warning that there could be health risks for young people wearing masks for extended periods, such as oxygen deficiency and brain damage.

In many countries it was a legal requirement with fines as a consequence, while in other countries it was implemented as a strong recommendation – such as in Sweden. After the coronavirus crisis, however, it has been proposed to introduce some form of “pandemic law” in Sweden where requirements for face masks would be included.

Although washable face masks began to be sold, disposable masks were the ones used most frequently, and in some countries, such as Austria and Germany, such masks were specifically required. However, it was quickly established that these surgical masks created environmental problems – in just 14 months, the number of discarded masks in nature had increased by 9,000 percent in a number of Western countries including Sweden.

Billions of masks every month

During the coronavirus crisis, an estimated 129 billion face masks made primarily of polypropylene and other plastics were used every month worldwide. Since there has been no recycling system, most have ended up in landfills or as litter in nature, and have begun to break down.

Researchers from the University of Coventry in Britain have investigated how many substances are released from face masks in water. They did this by leaving newly purchased masks of various types, which were used during the coronavirus crisis, in purified water for 24 hours. They then filtered the liquid to see what came out.

The results, which have been published in Environmental Pollution, show that all the examined face masks released microplastics. FFP2 and FFP3 masks leaked the most – that is, the face masks that were marketed as having the best protection against infection.

Hormone-disrupting substances

What worried the researchers most, however, was that the face masks also released bisphenol B, which is a hormone-disrupting chemical. Anna Bogush, who is one of the researchers behind the study, believes that the study underscores the urgent need to reconsider how we produce, use and dispose of face masks.

We can’t ignore the environmental cost of single-use masks, especially when we know that the microplastics and chemicals they release can negatively affect both people and ecosystems, she tells The Guardian and continues:

As we move forward, it’s vital that we raise awareness of these risks, support the development of more sustainable alternatives and make informed choices to protect our health and the environment.

PFAS seep into Sweden’s farmland

Published 9 September 2025
– By Editorial Staff
In Sweden, PFAS substances are primarily used to combat late blight on potatoes, against weeds, and also against insects that damage crops.
2 minute read

Last year, a record amount of pesticides containing PFAS was sold. The Swedish Society for Nature Conservation (Naturskyddsföreningen) warns that a large share of these “forever chemicals” now risks leaking into the groundwater.

Within Swedish agriculture, sales of pesticides containing forever chemicals have increased markedly in recent years, according to a compilation by the Swedish Society for Nature Conservation based on figures from the Swedish Chemicals Agency (Kemikalieinspektionen). Last year, 76 tons were sold, compared to 47 tons five years earlier.

This is a very alarming development, says Karin Lexén, Secretary General of the Swedish Society for Nature Conservation, to TT.

In Sweden, 19 active substances that are PFAS are used in approved pesticides. According to the Society for Nature Conservation, the 76 tons of pesticides sold last year could result in more than 25 tons of TFA (trifluoroacetic acid) ending up in groundwater. Denmark recently decided to ban six PFAS agents in a total of 23 products, citing that they break down into TFA.

Harm to fetuses

TFA has been shown in studies to cause damage to fetuses and also affect reproductive capacity. Like many other PFAS substances, they are very difficult to break down. In Sweden, PFAS agents are primarily used to combat late blight on potatoes, against weeds, and also insects that damage crops. However, Lexén believes Sweden should follow Denmark’s example and ban TFA substances.

I understand that you need some time to adapt, but at the same time it’s incredibly alarming that sales are increasing and that we see PFAS spreading in the environment as it does. Therefore, Sweden should follow Denmark’s example, says Lexén.

The agricultural organization LRF (Federation of Swedish Farmers) argues that as long as plant protection products are approved for use in Sweden, they should be considered safe.

The only reasonable approach, as we see it, is that we follow what authorities, research and development show. As long as they say things are safe, we feel secure, says Fredrik Andersson, board member of LRF’s federal board.

Our independent journalism needs your support!
We appreciate all of your donations to keep us alive and running.

Our independent journalism needs your support!
Consider a donation.

You can donate any amount of your choosing, one-time payment or even monthly.
We appreciate all of your donations to keep us alive and running.

Dont miss another article!

Sign up for our newsletter today!

Take part of uncensored news – free from industry interests and political correctness from the Polaris of Enlightenment – every week.