Addressing America’s PFAS Crisis With Rachel Frazin

Perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances, or PFAS, are so widespread today that it is present in the soil, air, food, and water. Since they are hidden in almost all kinds of everyday products, the PFAS crisis in the United States will only get worse – unless we do something about it. Corinna Bellizzi sits down with Rachel Frazin, an energy and environment reporter at The Hill, who talks about her new book that tackles how these “forever chemicals” are damaging numerous communities across the country. Rachel breaks down the most common diseases caused by PFAS exposure, from birth defects to fertility issues. She also shares how huge waves of changes are being made to address this crisis, and how everyday people can join the movement.

 

About Guest:

Rachel Frazin covers energy and environment policy for The Hill: that’s everything from climate change to gasoline prices to toxic chemicals to renewable and fossil energy. She is originally from South Florida, and she studied journalism and political science at (the very cold) Northwestern University. Previously, her work has appeared in the Chicago Sun-Times, The Daily Beast, the Tampa Bay Times, and The Palm Beach Post. She is the co-author of the new book "Poisoning the Well: How Forever Chemicals Contaminated America."

 

Guest LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rachel-frazin-90a692113/

Guest Social: https://www.instagram.com/rachelfrazin/

Additional Resources Mentioned:

Poisoning the Well: How Forever Chemicals Contaminated America by Rachel Frazin and Sharon Udasin

 

Show Notes: Raw audio

02:38 - Why Rachel Decided To Write Her First Book

05:18 - How PFAS Became So Widespread In Our Communities

07:46 - How Individual Activists Are Fighting Against PFAS

10:26 - What Can You Do To Address The PFAS Crisis

14:54 - What Makes PFAS So Dangerous To Our Daily Lives

22:02 - How Communities Are Struggling With PFAS Exposure

28:22 - Common Health Problems Caused By PFAS

31:29 - Where Are You Getting Exposed To PFAS

35:11 - Potential Policy Solutions And Regulatory Reforms For PFAS

41:22 - Exposing Harm While Protecting Yourself

42:50 - Recognizing PFAS As A Massive Environmental Crisis

44:14 - Why Corporate Leaders Are Ignoring The PFAS Crisis

47:35 - Consider The Everyday Products You Are Using

49:01 - What’s Next For Rachel As An Author And Journalist

51:26 - Episode Wrap-Up And Closing Words

 

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