As retailers and restaurants have recently joined forces to clear inventory of dangerous "permanent chemicals", consumers can feel better about supporting some of their favorite companies.

Composed of 23 brands, with nearly 84,000 physical stores and US$570 billion in annual sales-this new alliance is joining forces to combat a class of chemical pollutants called PFAS, PFOA, PFOS or polyfluoroalkyl substances .

The diversity of retailers, from Chipotle to Home Depot, from REI to TJ Maxx, reflects the true nature of the threat. PFAS comes from a variety of products, but there is no known degradation pathway in nature, so it is called "eternal chemical".

They are found in the coatings inside popcorn bags, waterproof raincoats and non-stick Teflon pan linings. They are also sprayed into industrial fire extinguishing foam and antifouling agents for furniture and outdoor equipment, and have been found to be baked into industrial carpet fibers.

They are now found in the water supply of as many as 16.5 million Americans.

Recent legislation and corporate governance strategies have drastically reduced the use of PFAS in some places. For example, on July 15, Maine became the first state in the United States to completely ban PFAS, except under current unavoidable circumstances, such as in critical hospitals and medical supplies.

"I am proud to see Maine taking action to change the conversation about PFAS regulation, not only for the entire class, but also for avoiding these persistent and toxic chemicals as much as possible," Defend Deputy Director Patrick MacRoy said of Our Health.

However, the benefit of companies like McDonald’s not using any PFAS in their packaging is that their products are ultimately sold across the country and around the world, so people can be protected from its harmful effects without relying on local government agencies.

The same goes for Target, Amazon, 7-11, Food Lion, Wendy's, Panera Bread, Lowes, etc.

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Safer Chemicals Healthier Families is an organization that provides excellent oversight of the status of pollutants and hazardous chemicals and the products that usually contain them, the scientific work to identify them, and the government ordnance that bans them. They said that although everyone in the United States may contain PFAS, everyone can take steps to minimize the risk.

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One way is to stay away from take-out food containers, popcorn bags, or packaged food. They also provided a list of brand-name packaging certified as PFAS-free.

MadeSafe is another resource for identifying common toxic chemicals in daily household cleaning and sanitation products. It will tell you which products often contain PFAS.

Avoid using PTFE or other non-stick coatings on the pan, if you leave them at too high a temperature for too long, please do not use them, if the non-stick coating is no longer so non-stick, please get rid of Pan.

Check out: Maine becomes the first state in the United States to allow companies that do not use sustainable packaging to pay for recycling

On July 21, an important detail emerged in the fight to prevent the use of chemicals in packaged products and drinking water. The House of Representatives voted to pass a PFAS "action bill."

If HR 2467 is passed in the Senate, the EPA will have one year to designate PFOS and PFOA as hazardous chemicals, but it will take five years to determine whether to designate PFAS as hazardous substances and hazardous air pollutants.

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Similarly, national drinking water standards will be developed for these chemicals within two years, which is the level of pollution permitted by law.

The bill recommends that products should have a "PFAS" label, but such labeling should be voluntary.

At present, this may be slow government action, but we can be proud of 23 American brands and Maine and other states, they will not wait to get rid of "forever" toxic chemicals.

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