Fil d’Actualités

New science finds babies exposed to more ‘forever chemicals’ than previously known Monica Amarelo February 20, 2026 A new peer-reviewed study raises fresh concerns about how exposure to the toxic “forever chemicals” known as PFAS may affect health from the very start of life – and how to most effectively tackle contamination from multiple PFAS. The study reveals a sobering reality: Babies are exposed to a much wider and complex mixture of PFAS before they even take their first breath.  The research, published in Environmental Science & Technology, used advanced screening methods to analyze umbilical cord blood collected at birth from 120 babies between 2003 and 2006 in Cincinnati.  Researchers identified 42 individual PFAS, only four of which were detected using the standard test methods typically employed in research labs.  New way to measure exposure For decades, scientists have been limited in their ability to calculate the extent of PFAS exposure in the uterus. Laboratory standards exist for only a small fraction of the thousands of PFAS in use.  Traditional targeted analysis looks for a short list of well-known chemicals like PFOA and PFOS – two of the most notorious and well-studied PFAS. If a particular PFAS isn’t on the list, it doesn’t get counted, so thousands go undetected. To address this limitation, researchers from the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai used advanced screening and data science tools to scan for hundreds of PFAS compounds at once, including those without official reference standards. Measuring body burden People aren’t exposed to just one PFAS at a time. They’re exposed to complex chemical mixtures. To better reflect this reality, the researchers developed a new scoring system to convey a newborn’s total prenatal exposure. The PFAS exposure burden score. This traditional score is based on the concentrations of well-known legacy PFAS, such as PFOA and PFOS. The “PFAS-omics” score. This broader score created by the researchers incorporates the legacy chemicals, a range of newer, understudied PFAS, including “replacements,” and breakdown products, which are detected through nontargeted screening. This dual-scoring method led to a significant discovery relating to PFAS exposure and the number of times a person has given birth.  For years, studies using limited test panels found PFAS levels in first-born babies to be much higher than in younger siblings. The working theory was that the pregnant person releases part of their stored chemical burden to the developing fetus and, later, to the newborn during breastfeeding. This study confirmed that pattern for older, phased-out chemicals. But the disparity, between first-born and subsequent newborns, disappeared when the researchers looked at the more comprehensive PFAS-omics score. This finding suggests that while levels of older, phased-out PFAS may decline in the pregnant body over the course of successive pregnancies, exposure to PFAS as a larger class appears to be ongoing and consistent.  In other words, how we measure PFAS matters. Critical window for fetus   Pregnancy is a critical window for the developing fetus. But any PFAS exposure during that period, while its organs and immune systems are forming, can have serious consequences.  Research has linked prenatal PFAS exposure to low birth weight, preterm birth, weakened vaccine response, higher risks of certain types of cancer, thyroid disease, liver damage and immune suppression later in life. Studies also show that even fairly low levels of PFAS in drinking water can increase blood levels and raise the risk of premature birth and infant harm. These health consequences contribute to about $8 billion a year in U.S. medical costs. The ‘everywhere’ problem  PFAS have been detected in drinking water at 9,552 sites in the U.S., putting an estimated 172 million people at risk of exposure.  Although the Environmental Protection Agency finalized the first national drinking water limits for several PFAS in 2024, it is dragging its heels in enforcing the new standards. Now the EPA is moving to roll back standards for some PFAS, leaving many communities exposed. A second study published last week addresses indoor PFAS exposures.  Research on household dust in Rochester, N.Y., found 43 individual PFAS in every sample tested. Homes with more carpet and upholstered furniture showed higher concentrations of certain PFAS, demonstrating how everyday household items continuously shed these chemicals into the air families breathe. Together, the two papers underscore just how widespread this exposure is.  While communities near industrial sites or military bases often face the highest contamination, this research makes clear that PFAS are not just a localized pollution issue. For many families, PFAS exposure comes from routine daily life. What you can do to protect your family PFAS are used in, and shed from, scores of everyday products, creating constant, low-level exposure from multiple sources.  You can take these steps now: Check your tap water. Look up your water system using EWG’s Tap Water Database. Filter your water. Use reverse osmosis or activated carbon filters certified to reduce PFAS. Make sure to change the filter as directed, because otherwise you could just make the PFAS pollution worse. Swap cookware. Choose stainless steel, cast iron or glass instead of nonstick pans. Check your personal care products. PFAS are often hidden in cosmetics labeled “long wear,” “waterproof” or “smudge proof.” Look up products to see whether they contain PFAS. The Healthy Living app includes ingredient information and ratings for cleaning products. Avoid treated products. Skip rugs, furniture and clothing labeled “stain resistant,” “water repellent” or “wrinkle resistant.” These treatments often rely on PFAS coatings that can wear down and shed into the air and dust in your home. Reduce dust. Vacuum frequently with a machine using a HEPA filter and wet-dust surfaces regularly. Urgent need to tackle the crisis  These two new studies – one revealing 42 PFAS in cord blood from 20 years ago, another finding 43 types of PFAS in household dust today – deliver an urgent and sobering message: PFAS must be regulated as a class, not one chemical at a time. Evidence suggests that even two decades ago, people were exposed to far more PFAS than standard tests captured. Today, as exposure has shifted to newer, short-chain replacement chemicals, the problem has just grown more complex. The ubiquity of PFAS mixtures in cord blood, household dust, drinking water and food makes clear that class-based regulation is essential.  With more detailed tests, scientists are finally revealing the scope of this chemical burden affecting families long before a child is born and throughout daily life.  The urgent question now is whether policymakers will act quickly enough to protect the next generation from these widespread, persistent forever chemicals – or whether children will continue to bear an ever-growing burden of PFAS from their first breath onward. Two new studies show scope of contamination and need to regulate PFAS as a class Authors Monica Amarelo February 20, 2026

Scalp exposure: New study finds harmful chemicals in almost all hair extensions Monica Amarelo February 20, 2026 More than nine in 10 hair extensions sold in the U.S. contain chemicals linked to serious health harms, including cancer and hormone disruption, a new peer-reviewed study finds.The study raises concerns about extensions being an overlooked source of chemical exposure, particularly for Black women, who are the main users of these products and already face disproportionate health risks from exposure to certain personal care products.Published in Environment & Health, the peer-reviewed study, by researchers at the Silent Spring Institute, centered on the most comprehensive public tests of hair extensions to date. Researchers analyzed 43 samples of synthetic and human hair extensions. Using a method of analysis that did not look for the presence of any particular substance, they detected 933 unique chemical signatures, identifying 169 distinct chemicals.Since people may wear extensions for weeks or even months at a time, the findings suggest potential health risks linked to frequent use and exposure.Harmful substances in study’s hair samplesAt least one substance linked to cancer or reproductive harm was detected in 91% of hair samples. Among them were dibutyl phthalate, naphthalene and styrene, which are included in California’s Proposition 65 list of cancer-causing chemicals. Nearly 10% of samples contained organotin compounds, a class of endocrine-disrupting chemicals that can interfere with hormone systems. Some levels exceeded European Union safety limits for consumer products. Organotins are largely unregulated in U.S. consumer products.Elevated fluorine levels in some samples suggested the potential presence of the “forever chemicals” known as PFAS, which are linked to immune suppression, cancer, harm to fetal development and other health harms.Why this matters For millions of Black women and girls, hair extensions are a form of cultural and personal expression. A 2023 study found 70% of Black women reported wearing hair extensions in the previous year. Long-term use of the products may lead to potentially significant, cumulative exposure to chemicals. Prolonged wearing of extensions can bring harmful substances into direct contact with the scalp and neck. Heating or styling extensions may release chemical fumes. Breathing those fumes may be another way people are exposed.The presence of endocrine-disrupting chemicals in extensions is especially alarming. These substances interfere with the hormones that regulate reproduction and development, affect reproductive and birth outcomes, and increase the risk of certain types of cancer. These preventable exposures are particularly troubling, since Black women already face disproportionately higher rates of aggressive breast cancer and uterine fibroids.These health risks do not happen in isolation. Depending on the manufacturing process, extensions may be treated with a mixture of hazardous substances, including synthetic dyes, flame retardants, waterproofing agents and harsh antimicrobial chemicals.Disparities in beauty productsThe Silent Spring Institute findings follow a 2025 Consumer Reports study that found chemicals detected in all 10 braiding samples analyzed. Together with that study, this research contributes to the growing literature on disproportionate chemical exposures in products marketed to Black women.EWG last year released an updated analysis of 4,011 personal care products marketed to Black women. The results were stark: EWG’s Skin Deep® database rated only 21% of them low hazard, compared to 27% of products without any demographic marketing, which means there are fewer safe alternatives for Black women. Six percentage points may seem small, but they equate to thousands of products.The results suggest a safety gap in products marketed to Black women that has persisted nearly a decade after EWG first documented these disparities, in 2016.EWG’s 2025 report also contained good news. The presence of most of the common harmful chemicals found in 2016 decreased significantly, with one exception: undisclosed fragrance. But there’s still work to be done on the health risks of chemicals in beauty products. The updated analysis found the presence of quaternary ammonium compounds, linked to asthma and reproductive harm, formaldehyde-releasing preservatives, and ingredients in hair straighteners and dyes associated with elevated risks of cancers in Black women, albeit in lower quantities than the 2016 report.Risks similar to hair straighteners’ risksFormaldehyde is a key ingredient in many hair-straightening treatments, helping to smooth hair when heat is applied.  The National Toxicology Program classifies formaldehyde as known to cause cancer in humans, and long-term exposure is linked to leukemia and other types of cancer, risks the Food and Drug Administration has understood since at least 2008.Short-term exposure to formaldehyde can cause eye, nose and throat irritation, shortness of breath and wheezing. Repeated exposure is associated with allergic reactions, asthma and other chronic respiratory problems. Large studies reinforce these concerns. Research from the National Institutes of Health involving more than 33,000 women found that frequent use of chemical hair straighteners – over four times a year – more than doubled the risk of uterine cancer, compared to the risk faced by non-users. Nearly 400 pages of FDA reports about poor product outcomes document consumer complaints of illness and injury linked to formaldehyde-based treatments. Because reporting was voluntary until 2022, the true toll is likely higher.In EWG’s 2025 report, hair relaxers remain a high-hazard product, but the average hazard score had decreased from 8 to 5 since 2016. Relaxers still contain hazardous ingredients other than formaldehyde, including formaldehyde-releasing preservatives like DMDM hydantoin, which can cause skin reactions and slowly release small amounts of formaldehyde.The risks are disproportionately greater for Black women, who are more likely to use chemical straighteners. In the NIH study, nearly 60% of women who reported ever using straighteners were Black.Salon workers face even greater cumulative exposure because they repeatedly breathe in the hot fumes. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention warns that working with formaldehyde may increase the risk of fertility problems or miscarriage. Regulatory gaps leave consumers unprotectedDespite decades of evidence and internal FDA emails acknowledging their health risks, hair straighteners made with formaldehyde can legally remain on the market in some states, although it’s unclear how many are still for sale.Concerns over formaldehyde in hair straighteners led some lawmakers to call for long-overdue federal action to protect consumers and workers. Some states, such as California and Maryland, have banned formaldehyde in cosmetics, forcing a shift in the market away from this and other dangerous ingredients.Ingredient labeling for hair extensions is minimal or nonexistent, so it is nearly impossible for consumers to make informed choices and avoid harmful ingredients.New York last year proposed legislation requiring manufacturers of synthetic braiding hair and extensions to disclose all ingredients. In Congress, the Cosmetics Safety for Communities of Color and Professional Salon Workers Act for the first time would direct the FDA to regulate synthetic braids and extensions. That piece of legislation was introduced, in 2025, as part of the Safer Beauty Bill Package. While some states, such as California, Maryland, Oregon and Washington, have banned  some harmful chemicals in cosmetics, most beauty products remain largely unregulated at the federal level.What you can doEveryone deserves to have access to beauty products that don’t raise concerns about harmful chemicals. Until regulation catches up by requiring disclosure of chemicals used in hair extensions and banning formaldehyde in hair straighteners, one option may be to try to lower your total chemical exposure. To do that, you would focus on swapping other products you use every day for less toxic versions of those products. Other tips:Be wary of marketing claims. Labels that boast a product is non-toxic or toxic-free don’t guarantee safety. For cosmetics products, check ingredient lists, and contact manufacturers when you’re unsure what’s in their products.Check products before you buy. Use EWG’s Skin Deep® database to search for hair care products, including hair dye, and other personal care items. Products are rated on a scale of 1 (lowest hazard) to 10 (highest hazard) based on their known chemical ingredients.Download EWG’s Healthy Living™ app. Scan barcodes while shopping to instantly check product ratings and find safer alternatives for personal care and cleaning products, and food.Look for EWG Verified® products. The EWG Verified mark means products meet EWG’s strictest standards for your health and are free from EWG’s chemicals of concern. Search for safer alternatives at ewg.org/verified.The growing body of evidence makes clear that products marketed to Black women continue to carry disproportionate chemical burdens, from hair extensions and dyes to relaxers and other beauty products.Until stronger oversight and transparency requirements are put in place, consumers must rely on independent resources to protect themselves and their families from hidden health risks in everyday products. Areas of Focus Personal Care Products Cosmetics Family Health Women's Health Products worn for weeks may put millions in contact with toxic substances Authors Alexa Friedman, Ph.D. Monica Amarelo February 20, 2026

EWG: Trump’s glyphosate executive order a ‘big middle finger to every MAHA mom’ Anthony Lacey February 18, 2026 WASHINGTON – President Donald Trump today signed an executive order invoking the Defense Production Act to guarantee the supply of glyphosate-based herbicides, claiming it is critical to national security.“If anyone still wondered whether ‘Make America Healthy Again’ was a genuine commitment to protecting public health or a scam concocted by President Trump and RFK Jr. to rally health-conscious voters in 2024, today’s decision answers that question,” said EWG President and co-Founder Ken Cook. “I can’t envision a bigger middle finger to every MAHA mom than this,” he added. “By granting immunity to the makers of the nation’s most widely used pesticide, President Trump just gave Bayer a license to poison people. Full stop.”“It’s a shocking betrayal to protect all of us but especially the people who live and work near farm fields where glyphosate is used,” said Cook.For years, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. – now Health and Human Services secretary – publicly attacked glyphosate and built a national profile suing its maker, Bayer-Monsanto, over health harms tied to the herbicide. On the campaign trail, both Kennedy and Trump pledged to confront pesticides like glyphosate and clean up the food supply to win the trust of health-conscious voters worried about pesticide exposure.“Elevating glyphosate to a national security priority is the exact opposite of what MAHA voters were promised,” said Cook. “If Secretary Kennedy remains at HHS after this, it will be impossible to argue that his past warnings about glyphosate were anything more than campaign rhetoric designed to win trust – and votes.”“First President Trump sided with Bayer-Monsanto on glyphosate at the Supreme Court, and now he’s elevating it through the Defense Department,” said Cook. “At this rate, maybe the National Cancer Institute will be next to bless the safety of this notorious weedkiller at his urging. “MAHA supporters were promised reform, and instead, they’ve been treated by MAGA like a convenient group of useful idiots ever since Kennedy joined Trump on the campaign trail,” he added.###The Environmental Working Group (EWG) is a nonprofit, non-partisan organization that empowers people to live healthier lives in a healthier environment. Through research, advocacy and unique education tools, EWG drives consumer choice and civic action. Areas of Focus Farming & Agriculture Farm Pollution Family Health Women's Health Children’s Health Glyphosate Pesticides Press Contact Alex Formuzis alex@ewg.org (202) 667-6982 February 18, 2026

A newly approved $250 million from the Green Climate Fund will target glacier melt in Central Asia, the South Caucasus and Pakistan, offering an example of large-scale climate finance for adaptation.

A recent study demonstrates the power of artificial intelligence as a tool for processing large amounts of ocean data.