A new podcast from Canada's National Observer tells the story of a firefighter’s wife and a corporate lawyer in different parts of the U.S. who get pulled into solving separate mysteries.

Something was making cows die and deer haemorrhage to death in West Virginia. That same something could also be giving firefighters cancer – all over the country.

When the lawyer and the firefighter’s wife met, they found out they were working on the same mystery. The mystery was caused by a man-made chemical that environmental regulators should have known about but didn’t.

A chemical that is said to be so toxic it is unclear if any contact with it is safe.

The chemical was created by a corporate giant, and then another corporate giant began using it to provide the world with so-called revolutionary products. Products, it turns out, come with a very steep price.

This is a fascinating story of two people unravelling a ball of yarn that would reveal the poisoning of the world.

Listen to all five episodes now: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-poison-detectives/id1730547253

Throughout this ten-part series, scientists, lawyers, advocates, and product producers all weighed in on our worldwide PFAS problem. While, yes, we have come a long way in understanding the scope of the issue and began moving away from PFAS, at least in the outdoor industry, many questions still remain.

One of the primary questions is, what should we do with all the old PFAS already in the environment?

Guests featured in this episode:

- Scott Wilson, Regenesis

- Philippe Grandjean, Environmental Epidemiologist

- Matthew Eshed, Research Fellow

- Stefan Posner, Polymer and Textile Chemist

- Kevin Myette, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Bluesign⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

- Greg Breitmaier, Mystery Ranch

- Alex Lauver, ⁠⁠⁠⁠Outdoor Research⁠⁠⁠

- Regina Goller, ⁠⁠⁠Jack Wolfskin⁠⁠

- Ammi Borenstein, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Snaplinc Consulting⁠⁠⁠⁠

- Mike Schade,⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠Toxic Free Future⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

If you want to learn more about what PFAS are, where they are found, the proven health effects, how you can limit your exposure, up to date news on PFAS, and how to get involved in PFAS regulatory efforts visit

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Toxicfreefuture.org⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Foodandwaterwatch.org ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Or

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Pfascentral.org ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

INSTAGRAM:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/outdoor.minimalist.book/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

WEBSITE:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.theoutdoorminimalist.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

YOUTUBE:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/@theoutdoorminimalist⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Fund the Forever Chemicals 10-Part Podcast⁠: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://gofund.me/77aac225⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

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Snaplinc Consulting provided expert fact checking and guidance for the creation of this podcast.

Snaplinc Consulting provides corporate sustainability strategies and ESG support across a broad range of industries including apparel, footwear, home furnishings, software, cosmetics, professional services and more.

Head to⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠snaplincconsulting.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ to learn more and contact the experts to guide you through complex topics like CSRD, PFAS, greenhouse gas assessments, SBTi, CDP, EcoVadis, B Corp and many more compliance and certification frameworks.

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Episode Resources

Safer States: https://www.saferstates.org/priorities/pfas/

EPA Drinking Water Standards: https://www.epa.gov/sdwa/and-polyfluoroalkyl-substances-pfas

CERCLA: https://www.epa.gov/system/files/documents/2024-04/pfas-enforcement-discretion-settlement-policy-cercla.pdf

It seems that many brands are moving in the right direction in terms of phasing PFAS out of their products, but one of the many aspects complicating this process is the potential for contamination.

In this episode, we hear directly from leading outdoor industry brands like Keen, Outdoor Research, Fjallraven, and Houdini Sportswear alongside scientists and environmental epidemiologists about how and why PFAS spreads and contaminates products so easily.

Guests featured in this episode:

- Stefan Posner,⁠⁠ ⁠textile and polymer chemist⁠⁠⁠

- Alex Lauver, ⁠Outdoor Research

- Kirsten Blackburn, ⁠⁠Keen Footwear⁠⁠

- Ammi Borenstein, ⁠Snaplinc Consulting

- Kevin Myette, ⁠⁠⁠⁠Bluesign⁠⁠⁠⁠

- Eva Karlsson, ⁠Houdini Sportswear⁠

- Mike Schade,⁠⁠ ⁠Toxic Free Future⁠⁠⁠

- James Pollock,⁠⁠ ⁠Marten Law LLP⁠⁠

- Arlene Blum,⁠⁠ ⁠Green Science Policy Institute ⁠⁠⁠

- Philippe Grandjean,⁠⁠ ⁠environmental epidemiologist⁠⁠

- Donna Bruns, ⁠Fjallraven⁠

- Martin Axelhed, ⁠Fjallraven⁠

If you want to learn more about what PFAS are, where they are found, the proven health effects, how you can limit your exposure, up to date news on PFAS, and how to get involved in PFAS regulatory efforts visit

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Toxicfreefuture.org⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Foodandwaterwatch.org ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Or

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Pfascentral.org ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

INSTAGRAM:⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/outdoor.minimalist.book/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

WEBSITE:⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.theoutdoorminimalist.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

YOUTUBE:⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/@theoutdoorminimalist⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Fund the Forever Chemicals 10-Part Podcast⁠: ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://gofund.me/77aac225⁠⁠⁠⁠

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Snaplinc Consulting provided expert fact checking and guidance for the creation of this podcast.

Snaplinc Consulting provides corporate sustainability strategies and ESG support across a broad range of industries including apparel, footwear, home furnishings, software, cosmetics, professional services and more.

Head to⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠snaplincconsulting.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ to learn more and contact the experts to guide you through complex topics like CSRD, PFAS, greenhouse gas assessments, SBTi, CDP, EcoVadis, B Corp and many more compliance and certification frameworks.

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Sources

Outdoor Footwear: The PFAS Challenge. Retrieved from: https://www.keenfootwear.com/blogs/keen-blog/outdoor-footwear-pfas-challenge

SixClasses. Retrieved from: https://www.sixclasses.org/

As we learned in earlier episodes, phase-out and regulatory efforts for PFAS were not swift, and they certainly are not complete.

However, because of the recent regulatory changes on consumer goods, specifically in California, many US-based outdoor brands and chemical companies have finally committed to removing PFAS from their products.

Guests featured in this episode:

- Greg Brietmier, Mystery Ranch

- Mike Schade,⁠⁠ ⁠⁠Toxic Free Future⁠⁠⁠

- Ammi Borenstein, ⁠Snaplinc Consulting

- Alex Lauver, ⁠Outdoor Research

- Kevin Myette, ⁠⁠⁠Bluesign⁠⁠⁠

- Theresa Mckenney, Nemo Equipment

- Kirsten Blackburn, ⁠Keen Footwear

- Matthew Eshed, Research Fellow

If you want to learn more about what PFAS are, where they are found, the proven health effects, how you can limit your exposure, up to date news on PFAS, and how to get involved in PFAS regulatory efforts visit

⁠⁠⁠Toxicfreefuture.org⁠⁠⁠

⁠⁠⁠Foodandwaterwatch.org ⁠⁠⁠

Or

⁠⁠⁠Pfascentral.org ⁠⁠⁠

INSTAGRAM:⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/outdoor.minimalist.book/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

WEBSITE:⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.theoutdoorminimalist.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

YOUTUBE:⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/@theoutdoorminimalist⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Fund the Forever Chemicals 10-Part Podcast⁠: ⁠⁠https://gofund.me/77aac225⁠⁠

-----------------------

Snaplinc Consulting provided expert fact checking and guidance for the creation of this podcast.

Snaplinc Consulting provides corporate sustainability strategies and ESG support across a broad range of industries including apparel, footwear, home furnishings, software, cosmetics, professional services and more.

Head to⁠ ⁠⁠snaplincconsulting.com⁠⁠⁠ to learn more and contact the experts to guide you through complex topics like CSRD, PFAS, greenhouse gas assessments, SBTi, CDP, EcoVadis, B Corp and many more compliance and certification frameworks.

-------------------------

Sources

"Balancing Fabric Performance and Sustainability" by Black-Footed Ferret Productions, Outdoor Minimalist, [July 24, 2023], https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/96-balancing-fabric-performance-and-sustainability/id1586174667?i=1000622162915

Bergen, Sujatha. "Columbia Sportswear Eliminate PFAS Campaign Launched Today," NRDC, available at: https://www.nrdc.org/bio/sujatha-bergen/columbia-sportswear-eliminate-pfas-campaign-launched-today

Bergen, Sujatha. "North Face and Timberland Recognize PFAS Threat in Apparel," NRDC, available at: https://www.nrdc.org/bio/sujatha-bergen/north-face-and-timberland-recognize-pfas-threat-apparel

Patagonia. "Say Goodbye to Forever Chemicals," Patagonia, available at: https://www.patagonia.com/stories/say-goodbye-to-forever-chemicals/story-133800.html

As more regulations come into play, many outdoor brands have moved the needle and promised to phase PFAS out of their products and apparel by 2025.

While this is great news, what’s curious as a consumer is that alternative chemistry has existed for quite some time. Brands like Nikwax never needed to use harmful chemicals to achieve waterproof capabilities, and now Nikwax is one brand leading the charge with industry-wide innovations with cleaner chemistry.

In later episodes, we will explore how both European and US brands have moved to phase out PFAS in their product lines, but before we get to that, it is worth noting that there have always been alternatives.

Guests featured in this episode:

- Kevin Myette, ⁠Bluesign⁠

- Brian Davidson, Nikwax

- Alex Lauver,⁠ ⁠Outdoor Research⁠

- Kris Cody, PAKA Apparel

- Mike Schade,⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠Toxic Free Future⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

If you want to learn more about what PFAS are, where they are found, the proven health effects, how you can limit your exposure, up to date news on PFAS, and how to get involved in PFAS regulatory efforts visit

⁠⁠⁠⁠Toxicfreefuture.org⁠⁠⁠⁠

⁠⁠⁠⁠Foodandwaterwatch.org ⁠⁠⁠⁠

Or

⁠⁠⁠⁠Pfascentral.org ⁠⁠⁠⁠

INSTAGRAM:⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/outdoor.minimalist.book/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

WEBSITE:⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.theoutdoorminimalist.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

YOUTUBE:⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/@theoutdoorminimalist⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Fund the Forever Chemicals 10-Part Podcast⁠: ⁠⁠https://gofund.me/77aac225⁠⁠

-----------------------

Snaplinc Consulting provided expert fact checking and guidance for the creation of this podcast.

Snaplinc Consulting provides corporate sustainability strategies and ESG support across a broad range of industries including apparel, footwear, home furnishings, software, cosmetics, professional services and more.

Head to⁠⁠ ⁠⁠snaplincconsulting.com⁠⁠⁠⁠ to learn more and contact the experts to guide you through complex topics like CSRD, PFAS, greenhouse gas assessments, SBTi, CDP, EcoVadis, B Corp and many more compliance and certification frameworks.