Perfluoroalkylated Substances (PFAS)
Questions & Answers (french version will be released shortly)
1. What are PFAS? |
Perfluoroalkylated Substances (PFAS) are manmade substances. The most common are perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) and perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA). We use many products that contain PFAS. They can be used to keep food from sticking to cookware, to make carpets and sofas resistant to stains, to make clothes and mattresses more waterproof, and to make some food packaging resistant to grease absorption. Due to their common use in everyday products, almost everyone is exposed to low levels of PFAS from the air, soil, indoor dust, food, drinking water, and various consumer products. |
2.What types of products may contain PFAS, or have contained PFAS in the past? |
• non-stick cookware
• fast food containers
• textiles and leather products
• metal plating
• food packaging
• firefighting foams
• floor polishes
• denture cleanser
• shampoos
• photographic processes
• medical devices
• hydraulic fluids
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3.When did the Public Health Unit become aware of the PFAS in Lees Creek and Trout Lake? |
The Health Unit was notified by the Department of National Defence (DND) in December 2016 of their ongoing PFAS monitoring at Canadian Forces Base North Bay. As a precautionary measure, the Health Unit’s Medical Officer of Health (MOH) issued recommendations to residents, and the various levels of governments. The leaching of PFAS from foam used during firefighting exercises conducted at Jack Garland Airport starting in the 1970s and continuing until 1998 is believed to be responsible for most of the PFAS in these waterways.
Since this time, the Health Unit, in collaboration with the Ontario Ministry of the Environment, Conservation and Parks (MECP), the City of North Bay, and the Department of National Defense (DND), have collected and analyzed available information to determine the health risk, if any, posed to the public.
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4. What is the Public Health Unit’s role? |
The Public Health Unit advises the public on measures they should take to protect themselves.
The Health Unit is working with the Ontario Ministry of the Environment, Conservation and Parks (MECP), the City of North Bay, and the Department of National Defense (DND) to understand the extent of the PFAS situation, and response actions being undertaken while making recommendations to protect the public's health.
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5. Why did the Health Unit not issue an Order (Section 13) back in 2017? |
Public health inspectors and the Medical Officer of Health can issue orders under the authority of the Health Protection and Promotion Act. Commonly referred to as Section 13 Orders, these are issued when the public health inspector is of the opinion, upon reasonable and probable grounds, that a health hazard exists, and the requirements specified in the order are necessary to decrease the effect or to eliminate the health hazard.
At the time that the Health Unit was made aware of the presence of PFAS in Lees Creek and Trout Lake there were no provincial regulatory standards to enforce, only Health Canada Screening Values for PFOS and PFOA only. In addition, the effects on health were not well known. As a precautionary measure, the Health Unit’s Medical Officer of Health (MOH) issued recommendations to residents, and the various levels of governments.
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6. What are the adverse health effects of PFAS? |
The body of research to understand the adverse health effects associated with PFAS exposure is still growing, and currently much is still unknown. Far more animal PFAS studies have been published than human studies, and each type of study gives us different types of information.
Evidence from human studies links PFAS with varying levels of certainty to health impacts which include lower birth weights, increased risk of renal cancer, decreased response to immunization, increased cholesterol levels and increased rate of allergic rhinitis or eczema in children.
Epidemiological data have demonstrated that elevated exposures to certain PFAS, particularly PFOS and PFOA are associated with increased liver enzymes which could indicate liver disease or damage. Further research is required to understand the adverse health effects associated with PFAS exposure.
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7. Is the Health Unit conducting research on PFAS and its impact on human health? |
The expertise and resources to conduct community level research is beyond the scope of a local Public Health Unit. As per the Draft State of Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) Report released by Environment and Climate Change Canada (Health Canada, May 2023), studying this topic "...is complicated as we are co-exposed to multiple PFAS due to the widespread use of these substances in products and the presence of PFAS in the environment. Additionally, people can be co-exposed to several PFAS due to the long biological half-lives of certain PFAS in humans and their historical uses". The Government of Canada is studying both the ecological and human health effects associated with exposure to PFAS, including the use of new methods to characterize multiple PFAS in biological and environmental media at the same time. |
8. What is the link between PFAS and cancer? |
The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) and has designated perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) as carcinogenic and perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) as possibly carcinogenic. Though these classifications were largely based on evidence in animals, they acknowledge the potential harm of these substances to people.
As there is a possibility that PFAS could increase risk of cancer or other harms in humans, the Health Unit is advocating for a more comprehensive study of local risk. We are advocating for North Bay to be included in Statistics Canada’s Canadian Health Measures Survey which measures blood levels of PFAS in select populations as an estimate of their exposure to PFAS over time and looks at the health outcomes of those participants.
On a more positive note, measures have been put in place to reduce the exposure of residents to PFAS, especially those who draw drinking water from Lees Creek, or groundwater that is near the area of the PFAS-contaminated land at the airport. Remediation of the contaminated area at the airport will also soon be starting.
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9. Can I get a blood test to know if I have been exposed to PFAS? |
While a blood test can detect the presence of PFAS, the results of blood tests will not determine if you are likely to have any associated adverse health effects. Due to their common use in everyday products, almost everyone is exposed to low levels of and will have detectable levels of PFAS in their blood. |
10. Is water the only source of PFAS? |
No, due to its common use in everyday products, almost everyone is exposed to low levels of PFOS and PFOA from the air, soil, indoor dust, food, drinking water, and various consumer products. |
11. What are the drinking water standards for PFAS? |
In Ontario, the Ontario Ministry of the Environment, Conservation and Parks’ (MECP) has an Interim Advice Value for PFAS that is being used by both the City of North Bay Water Treatment Plant and the Department of National Defense drinking water testing program. Based on this Interim Advice Value, PFAS levels in drinking water are not to exceed 70 nanograms per litre (ng/L) for the total sum of 11 types of PFAS. The MECP value is lower than Health Canada’s current screening values for PFOS and PFOA (see below) but higher than the proposed new Health Canada PFAS objective value. For Canada, Health Canada established drinking water guidelines for perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) of 600 ng/L and perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) of 200ng/L, and screening values for 9 other PFAS in 2018 and 2019. In February 2023 Health Canada published a proposed new PFAS objective value for public consultation. The proposed objective value is 30 ng/L for a total sum of 18 types of PFAS which is much lower than Health Canada’s current screening values for PFOS and PFOA.
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12. Can I test my drinking water myself for PFAS? |
If you live within the surroundings of the Jack Garland Airport or CFB 22 Wing, contact DND at 705-494-2011 to see if you qualify to be included into their testing program. You will be provided with all the necessary information about the process if you qualify.
If you are outside of this area, you do not qualify to enter DND program. PFAS testing requires a stringent and complex sampling procedure. Owners who would like to test their own water should contact a licensed private environmental laboratory to discuss collection, shipment, and the related cost of analysis. Failing to follow sampling procedure may influence sample accuracy. The Ontario Public Health Laboratory does not conduct PFAS testing.
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13. I have a private water system that draws water from Trout Lake. Is my water safe to drink? |
Based on available data, the levels of PFAS detected in Trout Lake remain below the MECP interim value of 70 ng/L. There are approved point-of-use filters that can remove or reduce PFAS levels in households drinking water. |
14. Will PFAS levels increase in Trout lake in the future? |
The main source of PFAS has been removed (i.e., firefighting foam) and therefore increased levels of PFAS in Trout Lake are not expected. |
15. Can I swim in Trout Lake? |
Yes, activities like swimming, bathing, showering, washing dishes, brushing teeth, and doing laundry do not pose a health risk. |
16. Are there water treatment devices that can remove PFAS? |
Some home water filtration systems can reduce the amount of PFAS in drinking water. How much PFAS is removed depends on the level of PFAS, the type of filter, and how well the filter is maintained. A water treatment specialist may be able to discuss how to optimize the removal of PFAS.
Types of Filters There are many water filters on the market, but not all filters address PFAS. If you choose to use a filter, be sure to get one that is certified to remove or reduce PFAS in drinking water. As of April 2024, filter certifications focus on removing the chemicals PFOA and PFOS, which are two specific types of PFAS. A filter can cost as little as $20 or more than $1,000 (not including maintenance costs), with variations between types, brands, and whether they are pitcher filters, installed on your faucet, or for your entire home. There may also be maintenance- and disposal-related costs that also vary between filters. Here are some of the types of filters that are currently available and can be effective at reducing PFAS:
Check for Certification
Certification by an independent entity is an assurance that the filter works as the manufacturer says it does. To find a certified filter, look on the product packaging for a certification by an accredited body. There are currently five American National Standards Institute (ANSI)-accredited third-party certification bodies that evaluate drinking water filters for PFAS reduction capabilities. Each has a registered trademark that is used on certified products. Links to these certification bodies are provided below.
To make sure the filter you select is certified:
A filter may list claims for PFAS reduction on its outer packaging, in a performance data sheet within the package, or on the manufacturer’s website.
It's important to note that the current certification standards for PFAS filters (as of April 2024) do not yet indicate that a filter will remove PFAS down to newly proposed Health Canada limits. Regulators are working with standard-setting bodies to update their filter certifications to match modern requirements.
Maintenance is Critical
Filters are only effective if they are maintained according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Not replacing a filter by the manufacturer’s recommend schedule can increase your risk of exposure to PFAS.
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17. Can I eat fish from Lees Creek and Trout Lake? |
As per the Guide to Eating Ontario Fish, you should not eat fish caught from Lees Creek. Check the guide for Trout Lake advisories and seasonal updates to fish consumption advisories. |
18. What if I ate fish from Lees Creek? |
No specific clinical testing or follow-up is recommended currently. Nearly all Canadians carry low levels of PFAS, including PFOS, in their blood. |
For More Information:
Contact a Public Health Inspector at 705-474-1400 / 1-800-563-2808 ext. 5400 or at environmental.health@healthunit.ca.
For Media Inquiries:
Alex McDermid, Public Relations Specialist,
705-474-1400, ext. 5221 or 1-800-563-2808
Email: communications@healthunit.ca