Harmful PFAS, also known as “forever chemicals,” have been detected in many household and daily products, and a new study suggests high levels are present in some condom and lubricant brands, too.
It’s well established that per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are essentially inescapable in today’s society despite their documented harmful effects — present in everything from cookware products to water — and new research suggests these toxic chemicals are also present in some condom and lubricant brands, including some Trojan condoms.
PFAS, or “forever chemicals,” have long been used in consumer products to make them resistant to stains, water, oil, and grease. They don’t easily break down in the body or the environment, and they’ve been linked to a wide variety of health complications, including increased risk of cancer, immune system suppression, liver damage, increased cholesterol levels, reduced fertility, and more.
As a result, the consumer advocacy blog Mamavation sought to discover whether these toxic substances might be found in condoms and lube — products that are used in some of the most sensitive parts of the human body.
The blog sent condoms and lubricants from several different brands to an Environmental Protection Agency-certified laboratory to determine their PFAS levels by looking for fluorine, which is a marker of PFAS.
Among the condoms tested, results revealed that fluorine was present in Trojan Ultra Thin Condoms for Ultra Sensitivity, and in even higher levels in Union Standard Ultra Thin Lubricated Male Latex Condoms.
Lubes including KY Jelly Classic Water-Based Personal Lubricant, Lola Tingling Mint Pleasure Gel for Spot-On Arousal, P.S. Moisturizing & Healing Hypoallergenic 100% Vegan Premium Lube Organic Aloe & Plant-Based, and Überlube Silicone Lube also contained high levels of fluorine.
“It is chemically certain that the female reproductive tract will be contaminated by some of the chemicals in condoms,” said Terrence Collins, Teresa Heinz professor of green chemistry and the director of the Institute for Green Sciences at Carnegie Mellon University, in the report.
As research already shows that PFAS can cause reproductive harm, experts say further regulation is needed to protect consumers from the “forever chemicals” present in condoms, lubes, and so much more.
“The vagina and penis are incredibly vascular areas and dermal exposure to these areas are often higher than other places of the body,” said Linda Birnbaum, scientist emeritus and former director of the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences and National Toxicology Program, in the report. “Because condoms are an exposure to the most sensitive areas on the human body for both men and women, I would strongly recommend the industry identify and remove these chemicals immediately.”
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