May 2026 Update, Part 2

5/28/26 UPDATE: POPs

Re: Chapter 8.5. WHAT ARE POPs?

Some more good news:

Levels of some of the most dangerous PFAS “forever chemicals” (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances) have dramatically fallen in Canadian seabird eggs, showing that regulation has been effective.

Gannet cradling egg with foot. Source: Wiki

Starting from 2006, the US Environmental Protection Agency had worked with major chemical manufacturers to phase out the most common and toxic compounds PFOA (perfluorooctanoic acid) and PFOS (perfluorooctanesulfonic acid) by 2015.[1]

Researchers have analyzed eggs collected from a large gannet colony on Canada’s remote Bonaventure Island, located in the Gulf of St. Lawrence,[2] and found that PFAS levels rose to toxic level for the birds as the widely used chemicals drifted through the atmosphere and entered the birds’ food chain. But the levels dropped by 40–74% by 2024. Manufacturers shifted to smaller PFAS molecules, which do not accumulate as much in wildlife, although they may still be toxic.

References

1. EPA, United States Environmental Protection Agency. “Risk Management for Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) Under TSCA.” March 26, 2026. https://www.epa.gov/assessing-and-managing-chemicals-under-tsca/risk-management-and-polyfluoroalkyl-substances-pfas.

2. Fournier, Anaïs, Anaïs Kerric, and Raphaël A. Lavoie. “Half a Century of Per‐ and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances in Northern Gannet Eggs: Impact of Regulations.” Journal of Applied Toxicology, March 27, 2026. https://doi.org/10.1002/jat.70175.