Slide 1: PFAS: The forever chemicals
PFAS The forever chemicals Massimo Ferrari Senior Risk Engineer June 2024 Massimo Ferrari | June 2024 1
Slide 2: The #1 emerging risk?
The #1 emerging risk? According to the CDC*, over 98% of the US population has PFAS in their blood! *Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Massimo Ferrari | June 2024 2
Slide 3: What are PFAS?
What are PFSA? EGLE Classroom - Introduction to PFAS (youtube.com) 3
Slide 4: Fluorine + Carbon = PFAS
Fluorine + Carbon = PFAS FLUORINE CARBON (Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances) • PFAS is an umbrella term to indicate a family of man-made organic compounds characterized by the presence of fluorine and carbon atoms with a strong bond. = Carbon PFAS group includes thousands of compounds with very di
Slide 5: How to define the PFAS family?
How to define the PFAS family? Buck et Al. – 2011 OECD – December 2021 EPA – Beg. 2023 PFAS are defined as “the PFASs are defined as PFAS or per- and poly- highly fluorinated aliphatic fluorinated substances that fluoroalkyl substance means substances that contain 1 contain at least one fully a chem
Slide 6: Quiz: common function of PFAS
Quiz 1 PFAS are added to a wide range of products. What is a common function? 2. To impart non- stick properties 1. To disinfect 2. To impart non-stick properties PFAS make products non-stick: grease proof, 3. To reduce noise waterproof and stain 4. To make something more flammable resistant 6
Slide 7: Where are PFAS used?
Where are PFAS used? • Stain resistant and water proofing treatments on carpets, textiles, furniture... • Food contact surfaces such as cookware, pizza boxes, fast food wrappers, popcorn bags, etc. • Additives in polishes, waxes, paints and cleaning products • Protective coatings and sealants, addit
Slide 8: Why everywhere and forever?
Why everywhere and forever? PFAS are: • Persistent, remain intact for exceptionally long periods of time (many years) • Mobile, becoming widely distributed Everywhere throughout the environment as a result of natural processes involving soil, water and air; & Forever • Bio-accumulative, in the fatty
Slide 9: PFAS exposure pathways diagram
nity ENTIAL HOMES slalalalal INDUSTRIAL WASTE CONSUMER WASTE DRINKING WATER WASTE MANAGEMENT FACILITIES (LANDFILLS AND WASTEWATER PLANTS) oe Se sare (aE INDUSTRIAL WASTEWATER DISCHARGE AFFF IRRIGATION
Slide 10: This chemical does nothing, but it's still bad for you
This chemical does nothing, but it’s still bad for you This Chemical Does Nothing, But It's Still Bad For You (youtube.com) 10
Slide 11: Litigation Landscape in US
Litigation Landscape in US Water contamination by Water contamination by Recent developments industrial sites AFFF • Remediation and clen-up costs • Product liability • +350% class actions (excluding AFFF) • Focus on PFAS manufacturers and • Historical large uses of AFFF • Land contamination, proper
Slide 12: Litigation Trends – Next waves
Litigation Trends – Next waves Water utilities & Product Liability Cases Consumer Fraud/Greenwashing waste management facilities Agriculture & Food, Cosmetics Products marketed as “green”, Subrogation and involvement of Food Packaging but containing PFAS upstream polluters Coated Textile, Coatings (
Slide 13: What does the situation look like in Europe?
What does the situation look like in Europe? Water contamination Regulation Litigation • PFAS water pollution detected • Proposal to ban PFAS in AFFF • Limited litigation so far across Europe. firefighting foams • $581m settlement between 3M • Contaminated drinking water • REACH: various PFAS classi
Slide 14: What the Map of Forever Pollution shows
What the “Map of Forever Pollution” shows • 20 PFAS producers: chemical plants synthesizing these substances • 232 industrial sites use PFAS to manufacture "high- performance" plastics, paints and varnishes, pesticides, waterproof textiles, other chemicals, etc. • Over 23,000 sites where PFAS contam
Slide 15: Over 2,300 hotspots
• Over 2,300 hotspots: the term "hotspot" is used when the concentration of PFAS detected at a site reaches a level that experts consider hazardous for health (100 ng/L). The problem is that dozens, sometimes hundreds of samples are taken by the authorities around a location identified as the "epice
Slide 16: What does the situation look like in Europe?
What does the situation look like in Europe? Water contamination Regulation Litigation • PFAS water pollution detected • Proposal to ban PFAS in AFFF • Limited litigation so far across Europe. firefighting foams • $581m settlement between 3M • Contaminated drinking water • REACH: various PFAS classi
Slide 17: Swedish Supreme Court Judgement in respect of PFAS (1/2)
Swedish Supreme Court Judgement in respect of PFAS (05.12.2023) • Defendant: Miljöteknik, owned by the municipality of Ronneby, supplies drinking water (including from the Brantafors waterworks) • 2013: Brantafors waterworks contained very high levels of PFAS, from fire training area at Blekinge Air
Slide 18: Swedish Supreme Court Judgement in respect of PFAS (2/2)
Swedish Supreme Court Judgement in respect of PFAS (05.12.2023) • Supreme Court has granted leave to appeal on the basis of the Court of Appeal • The investigation must be considered to provide sufficient support for the conclusion that the contaminated drinking water has had a significant negative
Slide 19: Insurance considerations: complex problem, in continuous development
Insurance considerations: complex problem, in continuous development Legacy Trigger: Developing No signature Broad PFAS policies: claims made science and disease, but exclusions and pollution vs. vs. occurrence regulations linked to dialog with product liability certain health insureds problems Mass
Slide 20: Any questions?
Any questions? Massimo Ferrari | June 2024 20
Slide 21: Massimo Ferrari | June 2024
Massimo Ferrari | June 2024 21
Slide 22: Thank you!
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Slide 23: Speaker Biography
Speaker Biography • Massimo Ferrari Senior Casualty Risk Engineer Massimo Ferrari is a Senior Casualty Risk Engineer at Swiss Re since 2015. In his role he supports underwriting decision-making and portfolio steering in industries such as mining, metal, oil and gas, chemical, as well as environmenta
Slide 24: Legal notice
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