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Recycle Utah

Recycle Utah

Nonprofit Summit County, Utah Recycling Center

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pfas

The Dangers of “Forever Chemicals” and the Water We Drink

August 30, 2023 by zerowaste@recycleutah.org

How safe is the water we drink? Many people are unaware about the chemical PFAS. PFAS has been linked to health problems such as cancer, metabolism disorders, and reproductive problems, to name a few. Monica Amarelo with The Environmental Working Group (EWG) states “PFAS are known as forever chemicals because they do not break down in the environment and build up in our blood and organs. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has detected PFAS in the blood of 99 percent of Americans, including newborn babies.”

Recent studies on drinking water have shown that PFAS (polyfluorinated alkyl substances), are in at least 45% of U.S tap water, and that the water we drink contains at least one of the 12,000 discovered PFAS in a U.S. geology survey. “EWG estimates there could be nearly 30,000 industrial polluters releasing PFAS into the environment, including into sources of drinking water.” The EWG stated. Consumers can also take action to protect themselves: The existence of PFAS in drinking water is essentially inevitable, however there are ways that we can filter out these chemicals; The EWG recommends four water filters based off quality, price, and effectiveness: travel Berkey, zero water, clearly filtered, and Epic water filter. It is also critical to look out for PFAS in wax products, and any product that resists grease, water, and oil, according to the CDC. 

Grayson Rae, Sophomore at Park City High School

Filed Under: Sustainable Materials Tagged With: #greentips, #recycle utah, #sustainability, #zero waste, #zerowaste, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, pfas, polyfluorinated, polyfluorinated alkyl substances, ski

Fluorocarbon Ski Wax

December 28, 2022 by outreach@recycleutah.org

This past summer, Park City and Snyderville Basin Water Reclamation District found Polyfluorinated Substances (PFAS) in our local groundwater and wastewater. PFAs are known as “forever chemicals” because of the amount of time it takes them to decompose and are found in various products including nonstick cookware, cleaning products, food wrappers and containers, clothing, and cosmetics. The PFAS polluting the local water systems are likely to be from fluorinated ski waxes also called fluorocarbon waxes used for Nordic skiing, Downhill racing, and recreational skiing.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) banned PFAS prior to the 2022 Winter Olympics and while local shops haven’t carried fluorocarbon ski waxes for several years, they continue to be sold online and are likely still in many skiers homes and garages. As an environmentally conscious community, the pollution from PFAs to our local water is a reminder that we live, work, and play on our local groundwater aquifer. 

As a skier and a community member, you can help keep PFAs out of our water system by identifying if your ski wax contains is fluorinated and properly disposing of it if it is. Fluorocarbon ski wax will state fluorocarbon, fluoro, high fluoro (HF), or low fluoro (LF) on the packaging. If you own fluorocarbon ski wax, stop using it and bring it to Recycle Utah to be disposed of properly. The next time you purchase ski wax, ensure that it’s fluoro-free and if you ever have any questions, you can always reach out to your local ski shops or Recycle Utah!

By Addison Marr

Filed Under: Sustainable Materials, Water Tagged With: #greentips, #recycle utah, #sustainability, pfas, skiwax

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  • About
    ▼
    • Our Impact
    • Our Team
    • Job Opportunities
    • Financial Statements
  • Services
    ▼
    • Materials Accepted
    • Remote Glass Recycling Bins
    • Thrift Store
    • Moving Materials for Sale
    • Self Serve Paper Shredder
    • Recycling Bin Rentals
    • CSA Pick Up
    • Community Trash Cleanups
    • Composting
    • Curbside Recycling
    • Household Hazardous Waste
      ▼
      • Medicine Disposal
  • Education
    ▼
    • Elementary & Adult Education
    • Green Business Program
    • Latinx Outreach
    • Blog
  • Support
    ▼
    • Donate Now
    • Support Recycle Utah’s Plans for the Future
    • Sponsor a Bin
    • Volunteer
    • Shop and Donate
    • Donate Your Car
    • 2024 Supporters
  • Events