Exploring PFAS with Youth

 

Link to PFAS Lessons Folder

Why we should learn about PFAS?

PFAS are a group of chemicals used in nonstick, waterproof, and stain resistant materials.  They are also used in some firefighting foams. Over time, we have realized that some of these chemicals can be dangerous for humans, animals, and the environment.  

PFAS are per- and poly- fluoro alkyl substances. There are thousands of different PFAS molecules, and not all of them act the same. Some have been researched more than others.  Teflon, Scotchgard, Stainmaster, and Gore-Tex contain some PFAS molecules. As government regulations and health concerns arise, companies continue to change the molecules they use.

 

Some of the properties of PFAS include:

  • A carbon-fluorine bond. 

    • These bonds are short and difficult to break as part of natural processes.  

      • This can be beneficial, because it makes products long lasting.  

      • This can be problematic because PFAS stay a long time in the environment, and they are difficult to get rid of.

  • PFAS is both hydrophilic (water-attracting) and hydrophobic (water-repelling)

    • PFAS is good at waterproofing and stain resistance, because it can repel both water-based and oil-based substances.

    • It can also attract water, and move through the environment and plant & animal tissues.  It can move anywhere that water can move.

    • PFAS can “grab on” to hormones within plants and animals and interfere with those processes.

Balancing Anxiety

There are a variety of negative impacts, many not fully understood, from most types of PFAS molecules. These negative impacts are likely to cause anxiety in youth as they participate in this series. With this in mind the design team intentionally included lessons: What is safe? and What is Too Risky?, designed to help balance anxiety in youth. 

About the Lessons

Each lesson is designed around a question with activities designed to help youth explore and discover answers to the question. Each lesson and the slide deck also include a lot of information about PFAS compounds. However it is not our intent that these activities become a lecture to students. Please use the background to help guide students as they explore PFAS. 

Link to PFAS Lessons Folder

Lessons: 

  1. What is safe?

  2. What is Too Risky?

  3. What are PFAS?

  4. Where are PFAS?

  5. Why are PFAS dangerous?

  6. What is Too Risky? Revisited

  7. Hormones and PFAS - Optional support for Why are PFAS Dangerous?

  8. What can I do about PFAS? 

Resources:

 

There is still much to discover

The Exploring PFAS with Youth series started in November 2023 and is one way to invite middle school and high school youth into conversations about PFAS and to increase our understanding together. With thousands of PFAS molecules, and more being created, there is still much to discover. We learn more about PFAS as research continues. We recommend you periodically check the Michigan PFAS Action Response Team website  https://www.michigan.gov/pfasresponse or the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) PFAS website https://www.epa.gov/pfas .

 

How it all began (connecting with Social Studies) 

 

Acknowledgments:

Exploring PFAS with Youth is a partnership between Michigan State University PFAS Team  and Michigan State University Extension and 4-H with funding in part through the Michigan Sustainable Fund, with AgBioResearch.