Does PFAS in jackets affect fertility? Experts: No need to panic about products that meet national standards

Recently, the topic of "perfluorinated and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) contained in jackets affecting fertility" has been pushed to the forefront. Some people quoted foreign media reports that these substances, known as "permanent chemicals", may affect women's fertility by accumulating in the blood, and may even be related to the onset of cancer, causing panic among some consumers.

It is understood that the focus of the controversy stems from a study in the 2023 Science of the Total Environment: A team from the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai in the United States tracked 382 women of childbearing age in Singapore and found that for every quarter increase in the concentration of PFAS in the blood, the pregnancy rate decreased by 5% to 10%, and the possibility of live birth of the fetus in the highest concentration group decreased by 30% to 40%. The study pointed out that PFAS may affect fertility by interfering with reproductive hormones and damaging ovarian function. For this reason, California and New York in the United States have banned the sale of clothing containing PFAS from 2025, and the entire industry is facing the dual torture of environmental protection and health. It has been reported that some waterproof jackets contain PFAS ingredients.

In response to the above statement, the China Textile Engineering Society and Life Times interviewed two experts: Yang Longfeng, a scientific communication expert of the China Textile Engineering Society and the head of Hangzhou Laoba Evaluation Technology Co., Ltd., and Xia Wei, deputy director of the Institute of Environmental Medicine, School of Public Health, Huazhong University of Science and Technology.

Yang Longfeng, a science communication expert at the society, said in an interview with the Global Times Health Client: "Common materials for jackets include synthetic fibers such as polyester and nylon. In order to achieve waterproof and breathable functions, coating materials are added to the outer fabric of the jacket. The effect it produces is like water staying on the surface of a lotus leaf, forming small water droplets that will not penetrate into the inner layer. The coating material of the jacket may indeed contain PFAS, which contains hundreds of compounds, the most common of which are perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) and perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA)." He pointed out that these two ingredients are widely and persistently toxic to the environment and the human body. In the list of carcinogens published by the World Health Organization's International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), perfluorooctanoic acid is listed as a Class 2B (possibly carcinogenic to humans) carcinogen, which is one of the reasons why PFAS has caused panic among people.

However, Yang Longfeng emphasized: "The new domestic standard for jackets has been implemented on April 1, 2024. Both perfluorooctane sulfonyl compounds and perfluorooctanoic acid have been included in the assessment requirements, so there is no need to worry too much. Moreover, the control of such substances has become increasingly strict around the world in recent years." Yang Longfeng said that for safety reasons, when consumers buy jackets, it is recommended to first choose big brands, and they can confirm with the merchant whether the outer fabric of the product is fluorine-free. You can also check the tag information to ensure that the product complies with the new standard GB/T 32614-2023 "Outdoor Sportswear Jackets" (this standard stipulates that the PFOS and PFOA contents of the outer fabrics that are fluorine-free are less than 1.0 micrograms per square meter, respectively).

Xia Wei, deputy director of the Institute of Environmental Medicine at the School of Public Health at Huazhong University of Science and Technology, added: "The statement that 'jackets directly cause fertility problems' is exaggerated. Even jackets containing PFAS pose a low direct threat to health under normal use scenarios. What needs to be vigilant is long-term exposure." The reason is that PFAS molecules in these coatings are not easily absorbed through the skin at room temperature, but after the coating falls off, they may be ingested by the human body through hand-to-mouth contact (such as touching clothing before eating) or inhaling dust. In comparison, the intake of PFAS chemicals released by non-stick pans in daily life may be much higher than that of outdoor equipment such as jackets, and this issue should be taken more seriously.

However, this does not mean that the production and use of clothing containing PFAS is encouraged. "The key lies in the production and disposal links. The PFAS environmental pollution (water source, soil) caused by these links is the main source of exposure, not the wearing itself." Xia Wei said that many brands have now promised to eliminate PFAS and use other waterproof coatings instead. When shopping daily, everyone should try to avoid choosing clothing containing PFAS.

Yang Longfeng suggested that for people who are keen on outdoor sports, high-quality jackets are a better choice. Jackets are generally made of multiple layers, with a soft inner layer that focuses on comfort; the outer layer focuses on rainproof, wear-resistant and breathable properties, which can resist the invasion of cold winds on the human body; in urban life, especially in autumn and winter, the streets are cold and windy and occasionally rainy, and functional jackets that meet the standards can ensure that people stay warm and dry in cold weather. Finally, the two experts called on consumers to choose "fluorine-free" jackets, and also called for strengthening market control to eliminate toxic and harmful substances from the source.