Perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl compounds, created by 3M in the 1930s, were once considered miracle chemicals because they could prevent scrambled eggs from adhering to a frying pan. They could make raindrops roll off of a person’s clothing and quickly extinguish large fires when combined with fire-fighting foams.

But, as its use increased, scientists began to draw connections between PFAS and several health issues, such as cancer, birth abnormalities, and other serious illnesses. The substance has the moniker “forever chemical” since it doesn’t degrade and can linger in soil, water, and human blood.

But, as its use increased, scientists began to draw connections between PFAS and several health issues, such as cancer, birth abnormalities, and other serious illnesses. The substance has the moniker “forever chemical” since it doesn’t degrade and can linger in soil, water, and human blood. Alert issued

Thousands Of Pounds Of “Forever Chemicals”

PFAS are still utilized in a variety of products, including fast food containers and waterproof camping equipment, despite scientific concerns. And a recent study found that Texas uses them even more frequently.

PFAS are widely used in oil and gas drilling, according to new research by Doctors for Social Responsibility, which urges Texas to follow some other states’ lead and limit the use of the chemicals. The organization challenged state laws that permit energy corporations to suppress details about the usage of chemicals they deem proprietary.

Texas state representative Penny Morales Shaw, a Democrat from Houston, introduced a bill on March 9 that calls for a formal, state-sponsored investigation into the use of PFAS in fracking and the possibility of public exposure through air and water to decide whether the chemical should be restricted.

“PSR’s report highlighted shortcomings in disclosure standards and accountability, particularly up the chain regarding the manufacturing of chemical products that are used in fracking fluids,” Morales Shaw said in a written statement.

PFAS reduce friction for drill bits as they go through the earth, said Barb Gottlieb, an author of the paper.

According to the study, Texas oil and gas companies have injected at least 43,000 pounds of the hazardous chemical into more than 1,000 fracked oil and gas wells spread throughout the state over the past ten years.

“What was distinctive about Texas was the staggering volume of PFAS reported in use,” said Dusty Horwitt, another study author. “It’s far and above what we’ve found in other states.” That’s likely because of the scale of fracking in Texas compared to other states, he explained.

The analysis of the use of PFAS in Texas’ wells is similar to those done by Physicians for Social Responsibility on the use of the chemical nationwide in Landes like Ohio and Colorado.

The studies analyzed publicly available data from FracFocus, a national registry that tracks the chemicals used in fracking. The Ground Water Protection Council manages the database, a nonprofit of state regulatory agencies. The authors said the data that PSR was able to analyze might not reveal the full extent of PFAS contamination in Texas. FracFocus comprises data that the industry has reported, and significant legal exceptions allow businesses to withhold specific information by designating it as a trade secret under state and federal law.

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In the study, 6.1 billion pounds of the chemicals injected into Texas wells were classified as trade secrets, making it impossible for anyone to know what they are being exposed to, including local environmental authorities, landowners who might be drinking contaminated water, or public health researchers.

Erin Douglas tweeted that Texas has begun to plug abandoned oil and gas wells with money from the Infrastructure Bill, per a press release this morning. You can see below:

Texas has begun to plug abandoned oil and gas wells with money from the Infrastructure Bill, per a press release this morning. Background from our story this summer here: https://t.co/NQFtgqGeXD pic.twitter.com/dVINPfDKtp

— Erin Douglas (@erinmdouglas23) October 19, 2022

Industry trade groups, including the Texas Oil and Gas Association and the Texas Chemistry Council, did not respond to requests seeking comment on the study’s findings.

Using PFAS in fracking presents several pathways to environmental contamination and human exposure, the study’s authors said. Fracking fluids are often injected into wastewater wells or stored in pits, which have a history of leaking and contaminating nearby ground and surface water that people rely on.

PFAS can also go airborne if the substance is pumped into a well, and that well is then flared or vented, which is common in Texas. In some regions of Texas, notably the Fort Worth region, residences, daycares, and businesses are placed within a few hundred feet of flaring gas wells. According to Gottlieb, people may ingest PFAS through their lungs, where some small molecules may enter the bloodstream. She noted that insufficient research had been done on the consequences of airborne PFAS.

Other states have started to ban the use of PFAS in oil wells altogether: Last summer, the Colorado legislature passed a law that will ban PFAS in various services, including in fracking, starting in 2024. The federal government is also looking to rein in and clean up PFAS in multiple benefits.