Last Week Tonight with John Oliver (2014–…): Season 8, Episode 25 - Chemicals - full transcript
This week John Oliver takes a look at PFAS a.k.a 'forever chemicals'. PFAS are chemicals that make surfaces which do not stick to other surfaces. But these chemicals have links to many health issues including cancer and decreased response to vaccines. These chemicals accumulate in humans and animals, don't degrade in the environment with lifetimes of thousands of years and cause birth defects; risks that were known to the manufacturers of these chemicals like 3M and DuPont. But they ignored the evidence, actively suppressed sale of less toxic alternative chemicals to protect their profits and didn't disclose the potential risks to regulators like the EPA. These policies of 3M and DuPont made these chemicals ubiquitous and are now present in the blood of almost every living human. John says that the only solution to this horrible problem is legislation which restricts the use of PFAS to certain applications and regulates the manufacturers of these chemicals. John also talks about the $3.5 trillion Build Back Better Act and how a couple of Democrats in the U.S. Senate along with their Republican counterparts are blocking it.
WELCOME TO "LAST WEEK TONIGHT"!
I'M JOHN OLIVER.
THANKS SO MUCH FOR JOINING US.
JUST TIME FOR A QUICK RECAP OF
THE WEEK, IN WHICH THE U.S.
SURPASSED 700,000 COVID DEATHS,
R. KELLY WAS FOUND GUILTY,
AND THERE WAS A GAS CRISIS IN
THE U.K., THANKS TO A
COVID-INDUCED SHORTAGE OF TRUCK
DRIVERS EXACERBATED BY BREXIT.
IT CAUSED MASSIVE PANIC BUYING,
BUT ALSO, THIS INCREDIBLE
I MEAN, THAT IS JUST
EXCELLENT.
TAUNTING PEOPLE WAITING FOR
PETROL IN THEIR STUPID CARS BY
SINGING YOUR HORSE RUNS ON
CARROTS IS OBJECTIVELY
HILARIOUS.
ALTHOUGH I WILL SAY, WHILE, YES,
HORSE OWNERS DON'T NEED PETROL,
IT'S ALSO TRUE THAT CAR OWNERS
DON'T HAVE TO CLEAN UP THEIR
VEHICLE'S ENORMOUS SHITS.
SO THE GRASS IS ALWAYS GREENER.
BUT LET'S FOCUS ON THE EVENTS IN
CONGRESS THIS WEEK.
FOR A START, THE SENATE HELD A
HEARING ON FACEBOOK AND
INSTAGRAM'S IMPACT ON TEENAGERS'
MENTAL HEALTH,
A VERY IMPORTANT ISSUE.
BUT ONE THAT PROMPTED THIS
REMARKABLE QUESTION POSED BY
SENATOR RICHARD BLUMENTHAL:
WILL YOU COMMIT TO ENDING
FINSTA?
SENATOR, AGAIN, LET ME
EXPLAIN, WE DON'T ACTUALLY DO
FINSTA.
WHAT "FINSTA" REFERS TO IS YOUNG
PEOPLE SETTING UP ACCOUNTS WHERE
THEY MAY WANT TO HAVE MORE
PRIVACY.
FINSTA IS ONE OF YOUR
PRODUCTS OR SERVICES.
WE'RE NOT TALKING ABOUT GOOGLE
OR APPLE.
IT'S FACEBOOK, CORRECT?
FINSTA IS SLANG FOR A TYPE OF
ACCOUNT.
IT'S NOT A PRODUCT.
OKAY, WILL YOU END THAT TYPE
OF ACCOUNT?
WE... I'M NOT SURE I
UNDERSTAND EXACTLY WHAT YOU'RE
ASKING.
YEAH, OF COURSE YOU
DON'T.
'CAUSE WHAT HE JUST ASKED YOU
MADE NO SENSE.
AND EVEN BLUMENTHAL'S AIDE SEEMS
AWARE OF THAT, AS HE VISIBLY
WINCED IN PAIN IMMEDIATELY AFTER
HEARING IT.
THAT IS THE EXPRESSION OF
SOMEONE WHO KNOWS THEY'RE GOING
TO HAVE TO STAY LATE TONIGHT
EXPLAINING TO THEIR BOSS, YET
AGAIN, WHAT "FINSTA" IS, BUT
ALSO WHAT TWITTER IS AND WHY
HE'S CURRENTLY GETTING ROASTED
ON IT.
BUT THE REAL DRAMA THIS WEEK
CONCERNED THE FATE OF
THE BUILD BACK BETTER
ACT... A KEY PART OF BIDEN'S
AGENDA, PROJECTED TO COST
$3.5 TRILLION OVER TEN YEARS,
WITH DEMOCRATS INTENDING TO PAY
FOR IT THROUGH INCREASED TAXES
ON THE WEALTHY.
IT CONTAINS, AMONG OTHER THINGS,
FUNDING FOR AT-HOME CARE,
UNIVERSAL PRE-K, FREE COMMUNITY
COLLEGE, STEPS TO ADDRESS
CLIMATE CHANGE, EXPANDED
MEDICARE, AND AN EXTENSION OF
THE CHILD TAX CREDIT... WHICH
ALONE IS ESTIMATED TO MEAN
4.3 MILLION FEWER CHILDREN IN
POVERTY.
IT IS A BIG DEAL AND
WOULD MAKE THIS COUNTRY A
BETTER PLACE.
BUT THERE'S A PROBLEM.
BECAUSE TO PASS THE BILL,
DEMOCRATS ARE USING SOMETHING
CALLED "RECONCILIATION" TO EVADE
A FILIBUSTER, WHICH REQUIRES THE
SUPPORT OF EVERY SINGLE
DEMOCRATIC SENATOR.
AND UNFORTUNATELY, MODERATES
LIKE KYRSTEN SINEMA AND
JOE MANCHIN ARGUE IT COSTS TOO
MUCH.
NOW, TO COUNTER THAT,
PROGRESSIVES HAVE SAID THEY'LL
OPPOSE THE BIPARTISAN
INFRASTRUCTURE BILL... WHICH
MANCHIN AND SINEMA WANT...
UNLESS THE LARGER BILL IS
GUARANTEED TO PASS ALONGSIDE IT.
AND IF ALL OF THIS
SEEMED CHAOTIC,
JEN PSAKI ATTEMPTED TO REASSURE
REPORTERS IT WAS ALL PART OF THE
THIS IS WHY WE ALL CAME TO
WASHINGTON.
IT'S LIKE AN EPISODE OF A TV
SHOW.
UH, WE'RE... WE... I... I'M NOT
IN A POSITION TO LOOK IN A
CRYSTAL BALL HERE.
WHICH TV SHOW?
MAYBE "THE WEST WING" IF
SOMETHING GOOD HAPPENS, MAYBE
"VEEP" IF NOT, I'M NOT SURE.
YEAH, OF COURSE YOU
WANT TO BE "THE WEST WING."
EVERY ADMINISTRATION WANTS TO BE
"THE WEST WING."
WHY WOULDN'T THEY?
IT'S AMERICAN FAN-FICTION
WRITTEN BY A MAN DRUNK ON
LIBERAL RIGHTEOUSNESS AND
WEAPONS-GRADE COCAINE.
UNFORTUNATELY, THOUGH, THIS
WHITE HOUSE MIGHT BE MORE OF A
"MR. ROBOT," IN THAT I'M NOT
SURE EVEN THE PEOPLE INVOLVED
KNOW EXACTLY WHAT'S GOING ON,
AND UNLESS THEY'RE CAREFUL, IT
MIGHT STOP AFTER FOUR YEARS.
ALTHOUGH I WILL SAY THIS, TO
BIDEN'S CREDIT, HE SEEMS, SO
FAR, TO BE SIDING WITH THE
PROGRESSIVES, OR AT THE VERY
LEAST, NOT SELLING THEM OUT.
WHICH MAKES SENSE... THE BILL
CONTAINS POLICIES HE RAN ON, AND
ITS CONTENTS ARE BROADLY
POPULAR.
BUT SINEMA AND MANCHIN SEEM
UNMOVED.
INJURE HIS CASE, HE WASN'T EVEN
MOVED WITH THOSE MAKING IT IN
PERSON THIS WEEK.
PADDLING OUT
TO HIS BOAT IN KAYAKS TO HEAR
HIM EXPLAIN WHY HE'S HOLDING
THINGS UP.
WE WANT TO GET A GOOD BILL
THAT'S A BALANCED BILL, THAT'S
WELL DONE.
AND I KNOW IT WON'T BE ENOUGH
FOR SOME, IT'LL BE TOO MUCH FOR
OTHERS.
IN WEST VIRGINIA, YOU KNOW, WEST
VIRGINIA'S A LITTLE BIT
DIFFERENT THAN IT USED TO BE.
THERE'S A LOT OF POVERTY.
WHAT ARE YOU GONNA DO FOR THE
POOR IN WEST VIRGINIA?
WE'RE WORKING... WE'RE GOING
TO BE DOING EVERYTHING WE CAN TO
CREATE GOOD OPPORTUNITY.
WOW.
I'M NOT SURE WHICH STAGE OF
CAPITALISM WE'VE REACHED IF
WE'RE NOW "KAYAKING OUT TO A
POLITICIAN'S YACHT TO BEG HIM TO
HELP THE POOR," BUT IT'S GOTTA
BE ONE OF THE LAST ONES.
I'M PRETTY SURE IT GOES OCEAN ON
FIRE, BOOKSTORE BILLIONAIRE
LEAVES THE PLANET, THEN
BOAT BITCH SAYS NO, AND THEN
IT IS BASICALLY ALL OVER AT THAT
POINT.
BUT I WILL SAY, AT LEAST
MANCHIN'S ACTUALLY
ENGAGING WITH PEOPLE.
KYRSTEN SINEMA HAS BEEN MUCH
MORE EVASIVE.
SHE'S MADE A NAME FOR HERSELF AS
TRYING HARD TO BE "THE FUN ONE"
IN THE SENATE, DRESSING HERE
LIKE A POWERPUFF GIRL IN WITNESS
PROTECTION.
BUT IT'S BEEN A LOT LESS FUN
THIS WEEK WATCHING HER TURN
BASIC QUESTIONS ABOUT HER
BARGAINING POSITION INTO A
SHITTY GAME.
WHAT DO YOU SAY TO
PROGRESSIVES THAT ARE FRUSTRATED
THEY DON'T KNOW WHERE YOU ARE?
I'M IN THE SENATE.
OH, FUCK RIGHT OFF.
AND IT GETS WORSE.
WHEN THAT REPORTER ASKED HER A
SECOND TIME, SHE SAID "I'M
CLEARLY RIGHT IN FRONT OF THE
ELEVATOR."
WHICH IS ABOUT AS MADDENING AS
WHEN YOU TELL YOUR DAD "I'M
HUNGRY " AND HE SAYS " NICE TO
MEET YOU, HUNGRY.
I'M DAD."
I MEAN, YEAH, YOU TECHNICALLY
"GOT ME" AND YOU CERTAINLY HAVE
A PLAYFUL WAY WITH WORDS, BUT
I'VE GOT A FUCKING PROBLEM THAT
YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO SOLVE.
AND THAT EVASIVENESS MAY HAVE
REACHED ITS PEAK WHEN SHE TOOK
OFF IN THE MIDDLE OF
NEGOTIATIONS FOR ARIZONA, WHERE
SHE ATTENDED A FUNDRAISER AT A
HIGH-END RESORT AND SPA IN
PHOENIX LAST NIGHT.
AND AMID ALL OF THE FRUSTRATIONS
WITH SINEMA, HER SUPPORTERS HAVE
TRIED TO CAST HER ECCENTRICITIES
AS AN ASSET, WITH ONE SAYING,
"SHE DOESN'T THINK IN A LINEAR
PROCESS, LIKE 'OKAY, WILL THIS
IMPACT MY RE-ELECTION?'
SHE JUST BEATS HER OWN DRUM.
WHEN SHE LEAVES IN THE MIDDLE OF
SOMETHING AND SAYS, 'I GOT STUFF
TO DO, ' IT'S BECAUSE SHE HAS
PLANS.
SOMETIMES, SHE'S JUST MORE
INTERESTED IN TRAINING FOR AN
IRONMAN.
MORE POWER TO HER, MAN."
EXCEPT, HERE'S THE THING, NO,
NOT MORE POWER TO HER.
BECAUSE THAT'S ONE OF HER OWN
SUPPORTERS TELLING YOU SHE'S
IMPOSSIBLE TO UNDERSTAND,
DOESN'T THINK IN A LINEAR
PROCESS, AND WANDERS OFF IN THE
MIDDLE OF A CONVERSATION.
AND IT'S NOT GREAT WHEN A
SENATOR'S STRENGTHS ARE HOW I
WOULD DESCRIBE ANY CAT.
THOSE QUALITIES, IN A CIVILIAN,
MIGHT MAKE YOU A FUN ECCENTRIC,
BUT WHEN YOU'RE A SENATOR, IT
JUST MAKES YOU BAD AT YOUR
FUCKING JOB.
LOOK, THIS BILL COULD MATERIALLY
BENEFIT PEOPLE'S LIVES.
AND IF YOU ARE BLOCKING IT, YOU
OWE PEOPLE MORE THAN VAGUE
PLATITUDES SHOUTED FROM A BOAT,
AND A CUTESY "I'M IN THE SENATE"
COMMENT.
BECAUSE IF THESE TWO KEEP THIS
SHIT UP, THEIR WINDOW FOR SAYING
"I'M IN THE SENATE" MAY RAPIDLY
BE CLOSING.
AND NOW THIS.
AND NOW,
NEWSCASTERS TAKE ISSUE WITH THE
TERM "LEAF-PEEPING."
WE ARE GOING LEAF-PEEPING.
LEAF-PEEPING.
A LITTLE CREEPY BE.
LEAF-PEEPING.
I'VE ALWAYS THOUGHT IT SOUNDS
A LITTLE PERVY.
THAT'S WHAT THEY CALL IT.
IT'S WEIRD, RIGHT?
A BEAUTIFUL TIME.
I FIND LEAF-PEEPING TO BE
JUST MILDLY DISTURBING.
I STILL SAY IT SOUNDS A
LITTLE DIRTY.
GET YOUR LEAF-PEEPING ON.
LEAF-PEEPING.
I'VE NEVER SAID THAT BEFORE.
FIRST TEN.
IT'S THE TYPE OF PEEPING
THAT'S LEGAL.
THAT'S...
THAT'S THE CREEPIEST THING
I'VE EVER HEARD.
I'VE NEVER HEARD ANYBODY CALL AT
THAT.
EXCEPT FOR THE PRODUCER THAT
ROTATES.
MOVING ON.
OUR MAIN STORY TONIGHT CONCERNS
CHEMICALS.
THE SUBSTANCES THAT, ALONG WITH
SPAGHETTI, HEINEKEN, AND HUMAN
ARMS, SHOULD NEVER BE KEPT IN A
VAT IN YOUR NEIGHBOR'S GARAGE.
SPECIFICALLY, WE'RE GOING TO
TALK ABOUT A PARTICULAR CLASS OF
CHEMICALS CALLED PFAs, WHICH
STANDS FOR "PER- AND
POLYFLUOROALKYL SUBSTANCES."
THEY GO BY A WIDE VARIETY OF
CHEMICAL NAMES LIKE ALL OF THES
THESE, AND ARE USED BY
RECOGNIZABLE BRANDS LIKE
GORE-TEX AND TEFLON, AMONG MANY
OTHERS... BUT THE MAIN THING
THEY HAVE IN COMMON IS THAT THEY
MAKE SURFACES THAT DON'T GET
STUFF STUCK TO THEM, WHICH IS
SOMETHING A LOT OF US CARE
ABOUT.
ALTHOUGH, ARGUABLY, SOME MORE
MISSY!
YES, CHEF.
IF YOU SAUTE SCALLOPS IN A
NONSTICK PAN, THEY WON'T STICK.
THAT'S WHY IT'S CALLED FUCKING
NON-STICK!
I DON'T KNOW WHAT "NON-STICK"
MEANS IN TEXAS, SWEETHEART, BUT
FUCK ME.
YOU KNOW, AS TEMPTED AS
I AM TO MOCK GORDON RAMSAY, AS A
BRITISH PERSON WHO HAS ALSO
INEXPLICABLY MADE A CAREER OUT
OF SHRIEKING OBSCENITIES AT
AMERICANS AND NOT UNDERSTANDING
TEXAS, GAME HAS NO CHOICE BUT TO
RESPECT GAME.
AND WHILE I SCREAM, YOU SCREAM,
HE SCREAMS, WE ALL SCREAM FOR
NON-STICK PANS, THERE'S JUST TWO
FIRST, THESE
CHEMICALS HAVE BEEN LINKED TO A
MASSIVE ARRAY OF HEALTH ISSUES.
HIGH EXPOSURE TO THESE TWO MAJOR
PFAs ALONE HAVE BEEN LINKED TO
HIGH CHOLESTEROL, ULCERATIVE
COLITIS, PREGNANCY-INDUCED
HYPERTENSION, THYROID DISEASE,
TESTICULAR AND KIDNEY CANCER,
AND DECREASED RESPONSE TO
VACCINES.
WHICH IS CLEARLY TERRIBLE,
ALTHOUGH ALSO SHOULDN'T BE THAT
SURPRISING, SEEING AS THE
ORIGINAL NAME FOR THIS SHOW WAS
"THAT THING YOU LIKE IS BAD WITH
SADDY LONGLEGS."
AND SECOND, PFAs ARE WHAT'S
KNOWN AS "FOREVER CHEMICALS"...
STUDIES HAVE ESTIMATED THEY HAVE
LIFETIMES IN THE THOUSANDS OF
YEARS.
AND THAT COMBINATION OF TOXICITY
AND LONGEVITY IS A REAL PROBLEM,
AS ONE CHEMICAL ENGINEER TRIED
TO EXPLAIN TO CONGRESS A FEW
YEARS BACK.
IT DOESN'T GO AWAY.
THIS IS A MANMADE CHEMICAL.
WE JUST PASS THE BATON TO OUR
GENERATIONS OF KIDS.
IN FACT, IF YOU WERE TO
INCINERATE AND CREMATE ME, I
WOULD TECHNICALLY BE A
FLUOROCHEMICAL HAZARDOUS SOURCE.
THE TEFLON MESH THAT IS USED IN
MY HERNIA PRODUCES A VERY TOXIC
GAS AND DECOMPOSES TO SOMETHING
CALLED DEVIL'S PISS, WHICH IS
HYDROFLUORIC ACID.
YOU CAN'T KILL THIS BEAST.
YOU CAN ONLY CONTROL IT.
YEAH, THAT DOESN'T
SOUND GREAT, DOES IT?
ALSO, IT'S HARD TO BELIEVE
THERE'S SOMETHING CALLED
DEVIL'S PISS THAT ISN'T
GORDON RAMSEY'S
VERY REAL LINE OF ALCOHOLIC
SPARKLING WATER,
"HELL'S SELTZER," WHICH YOU CAN
APPARENTLY GET IN FLAVORS SUCH
AS MEAN GREEN, BERRY INFERNO,
KNICKER TWIST, AND
THAT'S FORKED.
FOR PEOPLE WHO
HATE WATER AND THEMSELVES.
BUT THAT MAN IS ABSOLUTELY
RIGHT.
TO AN EXTENT YOU MAY NOT
CURRENTLY REALIZE, THE WORLD IS
BASICALLY SOAKED IN THE
DEVIL'S PISS RIGHT NOW.
AND NOT IN A REMOTELY HOT WAY.
SO TONIGHT, WE THOUGHT WE'D TAKE
A LOOK AT JUST HOW BAD THESE
SUBSTANCES ARE, HOW LONG SOME OF
THEIR MAJOR MANUFACTURERS KNEW
ABOUT IT, AND HOW HARD THIS WILL
ALL BE TO FIX.
AND LET'S START BY LOOKING AT
ONE OF THE MOST UBIQUITOUS PFAs:
PFOA, ALSO KNOWN AS C8 BECAUSE
OF ITS EIGHT CARBON MOLECULES.
3M STARTED SELLING C8 BACK IN
1951 TO THE CHEMICAL GIANT
DuPONT, WHICH THEN USED IT TO
MAKE TEFLON, WHICH IT MARKETED
THROUGH ADS LIKE THIS:
I USED TO BE A SLAVE TO
SCRAPING AND SCRUBBING POTS AND
PANS.
BUT I'VE BEEN LIBERATED BY
TEFLON.
FOOD DOESN'T STICK TO TEFLON
LIKE IT DOES TO OTHER THINGS.
SEE?
OKAY, "I USED TO BE A
SLAVE" IS JUST NOT SOMETHING
THAT SHOULD BE COMING OUT OF A
WHITE CHILD'S FACE UNLESS IT'S
PINOCCHIO AFTER HE BECOMES A
REAL BOY, AND EVEN THEN, HE'S
STILL NOT "REALLY" FREE, IS HE?
HE'S A SLAVE TO SOCIETY AND A
PRISONER OF HIS OWN MIND, JUST
LIKE THE REST OF US.
YOUR NOSE MIGHT NOT BE GROWING
ANY MORE, GNOCCHI, BUT MAKE NO
MISTAKE... YOU ARE LYING TO
YOURSELF.
BUT THE THING IS, BY THE TIME
THAT AD AIRED, 3M AND DuPONT
ALREADY KNEW THAT THESE
CHEMICALS ACCUMULATED IN HUMANS
AND ANIMALS, THAT THEY DIDN'T
DEGRADE IN THE ENVIRONMENT, AND
THAT THEY COULD INCREASE THE
SIZE OF THE LIVER IN RATS,
RABBITS, AND DOGS.
SO THE WARNING SIGNS WERE VERY
MUCH THERE BEFORE THEY HAD A
WHITE CHILD SLAVE CLAIM TEFLON
LIBERATED HER FROM THE
BACK-BREAKING LABOR OF SCRAPING
MUFFIN TRAYS.
AND IN THE DECADES THAT
FOLLOWED, THEY LEARNED EVEN
MORE.
IN 1981, 3M FOUND THAT INGESTION
OF PFAs CAUSED BIRTH DEFECTS IN
RATS, AND WHEN THEY TOLD DuPONT
ABOUT THIS AND DuPONT THEN
TESTED THE CHILDREN OF EMPLOYEES
IN THEIR TEFLON DIVISION, THEY
FOUND THAT, OF SEVEN BIRTHS, TWO
HAD EYE DEFECTS... INFORMATION
THAT, INTERESTINGLY, DuPONT DID
NOT MAKE PUBLIC.
AND BY 1991, IT HAD GOTTEN
UNAMBIGUOUS WARNINGS THAT IT
THEN SPECTACULARLY IGNORED.
3M TOLD DuPONT THAT UNDER NO
CIRCUMSTANCES SHOULD YOU PUT IT
IN WATERWAYS.
IT'S RIGHT THERE IN THE
DOCUMENT.
DON'T PUT THIS IN THE WATERWAYS.
BUT AT THE END OF THE DAY, THEY
START DUMPING SO MUCH C8 INTO
THE WATER THAT THEY, AT ONE
POINT, LOSE TRACK OF HOW MUCH
THEY'VE ACTUALLY PUT OUT THERE.
WOW.
HARMFUL CHEMICALS ARE NOT
SOMETHING YOU SHOULD "LOSE TRACK
OF."
THEY'RE NOT YOUR CAR KEYS OR
YOUR MIDDLE CHILD.
OH, OH, I'M SORRY, I LOSE HIM IN
A SUPERMARKET "ONE" TIME AND
SUDDENLY "I'M" A BAD PARENT?
CALM DOWN.
IT'S NOT LIKE HE WAS GONNA RUN
OUT OF FOOD.
BUT WAIT, IT GETS EVEN WORSE.
TWO YEARS AFTER THAT, IN 1993, A
DuPONT COMPANY MEMO SHOWS THAT
FOR THE FIRST TIME, THEY HAD A
VIABLE CANDIDATE TO REPLACE
C8... ONE THAT APPEARED TO BE
LESS TOXIC AND STAYED IN THE
BODY FOR A MUCH SHORTER DURATION
OF TIME.
BUT THE COMPANY DECIDED AGAINST
IT, BECAUSE THE RISK WAS TOO
GREAT... SPECIFICALLY, THE RISK
TO THEIR BOTTOM LINE, AND THE
FACT THAT TEFLON PRODUCTS WERE
WORTH ROUGHLY A BILLION IN
ANNUAL REVENUE TO THEM, PROVING
ONCE AND FOR ALL CORPORATIONS
TRULY ARE PEOPLE...
SPECIFICALLY, SOCIOPATHS.
AND YET DESPITE KNOWING ALL OF
THAT, DuPONT KEPT PUSHING FOR
TEFLON TO BE USED IN MORE AND
MORE PLACES.
AND IN THIS AD FROM 1994, THEY
BASICALLY PRESENT IT AS BEING
WIZARDRY.
CHEMISTRY IS THE... IS THE
PRACTICE OF MAGIC.
PEOPLE THINK OF TEFLON AND THEY
THINK OF FRYING PANS.
TEFLON IS NOT ONE THING.
PUTTING TEFLON ON A SURFACE WILL
STOP BUGS FROM CRAWLING UP
TREES.
THEY'LL FALL RIGHT OFF THE TREE.
TEFLON IS A CHAIN LOOP, IT'S
SOMETHING I'VE COME UP WITH FOR
BICYCLES.
YOU KNOW, ONLY DuPONT MAKES
TEFLON, BUT YOU CAN USE IT IN
SATELLITES, ON FABRICS, OR
LEATHER.
WHEN'S THE LAST TIME YOU HEARD
ABOUT A LEATHER RAINCOAT?
YOU CAN LET YOUR IMAGINATION RUN
WILD
IT'S NOT OFTEN YOU GET TO PUT
SOMETHING NEW IN THE WORLD.
OKAY, THERE'S A LOT I
DON'T UNDERSTAND ABOUT THAT AD,
INCLUDING WHY IT WAS SHOT BY
SOMEONE WHO'S STILL TESTING OUT
THE ZOOM FUNCTION ON THEIR
CAMCORDER OR WHY THAT INCEL
SANTA GIGGLED SO MENACINGLY AT
THE IDEA OF A NONSTICK LEATHER
RAINCOAT.
ALTHOUGH I WILL SAY,
IF THAT'S HIS BAR, IT
DOES SEEM PRETTY EASY TO MAKE
SOMETHING NEW IN THE WORLD.
LEATHER UMBRELLA,
LEATHER FLOWER, LEATHER SNAKE,
AND LEATHER ELMO.
THAT IS FOUR GREAT IDEAS I JUST
CAME UP WITH, AND I'M NOT EVEN A
PhD IN A COSBY SWEATER.
AND IF YOU'RE WONDERING WHERE
THE EPA WAS IN ALL THIS, YOU
SHOULD KNOW, THEY WERE MORE THAN
A LITTLE HAMSTRUNG HERE.
UNDER THE 1976 TOXIC SUBSTANCES
CONTROL ACT, THE EPA CAN REQUIRE
TESTING FOR CHEMICALS ONLY WHEN
IT'S BEEN PROVIDED EVIDENCE OF
POTENTIAL HARM... A SETUP "WHICH
LARGELY ALLOWS CHEMICAL
COMPANIES TO REGULATE
THEMSELVES."
WHICH IS AN ABSOLUTELY
TERRIFYING SEQUENCE OF WORDS
RIGHT UP THERE WITH "INCOMING
FACETIME FROM JEFFREY TOOBIN."
NOBODY WANTS TO HEAR THAT.
AND EVEN WHEN THE EPA HAS TAKEN
STEPS, THEY'VE BEEN PRETTY
LIMITED.
FOR INSTANCE, IN 2016, THEY
ISSUED A HEALTH ADVISORY FOR TWO
OF THE BIGGEST PFAs... INCLUDING
C8... SETTING AN "ACCEPTABLE
LEVEL" FOR THEM IN DRINKING
WATER OF 70 PARTS PER TRILLION,
WHICH, INCIDENTALLY, A LOT OF
PEOPLE STILL THINK IS TOO HIGH.
BUT ALSO, CRUCIALLY, AN EPA
HEALTH ADVISORY IS
NON-ENFORCEABLE.
ALL
AND NO ONE IS GOING TO RESPECT A
RULE IF IT'S NOT ENFORCED.
IT'S LIKE ONE OF THOSE SIGNS
EVERYONE SEES BUT IGNORES, LIKE
"PLEASE TAKE ONE" ON A CANDY
BOWL OR "PLEASE, NO SCULPTURE
FUCKING" AT MADAME TUSSAUDS.
I'M DOING IT.
I'M TAKING TWO FUN-SIZE SNICKERS
BARS, AND THEN I'M GONNA FUCK
WAX MICHAEL BUBLE.
I'M DOING IT.
IT'S ALREADY DONE.
GET OVER IT.
AND THAT LAX LEVEL OF OVERSIGHT,
COMBINED WITH DUMPING ON A SCALE
SO HIGH THEY "LOSE TRACK" OF IT,
HAS HAD SEVERE CONSEQUENCES.
WHEN EPIDEMIOLOGISTS STUDIED THE
MEDICAL HISTORY OF PEOPLE WHO
LIVED NEAR A DuPONT PLANT, THEY
FOUND RESIDENTS WITH HIGHER
EXPOSURE TO DRINKING WATER
CONTAMINATED WITH C8 HAD MUCH
HIGHER RATES OF KIDNEY AND
TESTICULAR CANCERS.
AND IT WAS EVEN WORSE FOR THE
PEOPLE WORKING INSIDE THE
FACILITIES... AS THIS MAN, WHO
WORKED IN ONE OF DUPONT'S
TESTING LABS, AND HAS BEEN
DIAGNOSED WITH ULCERATIVE
COLITIS AND RECTAL CANCER, CAN
ATTEST.
PEOPLE WOULD HANDLE THAT
PRODUCT ON THE JOB, EVERY DAY,
DAY IN, NIGHT OUT, AND THEN WE
WENT TO 12-HOURS SHIFTS,
AT 12 HOURS AT A TIME,
WE HEATED IT AND BREATHED IT
EVERY DAY.
KEN WORKED ON A FOUR-MAN TEAM AT
DuPONT'S PLANT TESTING C8
BETWEEN 1974 AND 2001.
OF THE FOUR, HE IS THE ONLY ONE
STILL ALIVE.
THE PEOPLE I LOVED, THEY
DIED.
WE WERE LIKE A FAMILY.
LOOK, THAT IS CLEARLY
AWFUL.
BUT YOU DON'T ACTUALLY HAVE TO
LIVE IN A TOWN WHERE PFAs ARE
DUMPED, OR WORK IN A FACTORY
THAT MAKES THEM, TO BE AFFECTED.
REMEMBER, PFAs LAST A LONG TIME,
SO IF THEY SINK INTO THE
GROUNDWATER OR ARE RELEASED INTO
THE AIR, THEY CAN TRAVEL.
AND THEY CAN BIOACCUMULATE,
MEANING THEY BUILD UP IN YOUR
BODY OVER TIME.
AND THAT BRINGS US TO A SHOCKING
DISCOVERY.
BECAUSE IN THE 1970s, DuPONT
AND 3M STARTED TESTING WORKERS
TO CHECK THE LEVELS OF PFAs IN
THEIR BLOOD.
AND 3M WANTED A CONTROL GROUP
WITH "CLEAN BLOOD" SO THEY'D
HAVE A BASELINE.
BUT AS THIS ENVIRONMENTAL
ACTIVIST POINTS OUT, THE COMPANY
QUICKLY REALIZED SOMETHING
TRULY HORRIFYING.
THERE WAS NO CLEAN BLOOD.
THEY TESTED KIDS, THEY TESTED
ADULTS, THEY WENT TO ASIA, THEY
WENT ALL OVER THE WORLD AND
EVERYWHERE THEY LOOKED,
PRACTICALLY, THEY FOUND THEIR
CHEMICALS IN PEOPLE'S BLOOD.
EVENTUALLY, THEY DID FIND SOME
CLEAN BLOOD.
IT TURNED OUT IT WAS THE BLOOD
THAT HAD BEEN TAKEN FROM ARMY
RECRUITS AND ARCHIVED, SAVED, AT
THE START OF THE KOREAN WAR.
YEAH, IT'S TRUE.
IN FACT, A CDC STUDY HAS FOUND
THAT C8 IS NOW IN THE BLOOD OF
99.7% OF AMERICANS.
MEANING, AT THE VERY LEAST,
VIN DIESEL AND I FINALLY HAVE
SOMETHING IN COMMON.
EVERY SINGLE THING ABOUT OUR
GENETIC MAKEUP, GENERAL
ATTITUDE, AND VOCAL TIMBRE IS
DRAMATICALLY DIFFERENT, BUT WHEN
IT COMES TO TOXIC CHEMICALS IN
OUR BLOOD... IT'S POTATO,
POTAHTO, MY FRIEND.
OR SHOULD I SAY, MY FAMILY.
AND WHILE DuPONT MAY BE A
PARTICULARLY STARK EXAMPLE,
THEY'RE FAR FROM THE ONLY ENTITY
INVOLVED HERE.
THE MILITARY USES PFAs IN FOAM
TO EXTINGUISH FIRES, SO THEY'VE
BUILT UP AROUND MILITARY BASES.
AND MANY COMPANIES HAVE USED A
LOT OF PFAs IN A LOT OF THEIR
PRODUCTS.
FOR INSTANCE, A SHOE COMPANY
CALLED WOLVERINE USED PFAs IN
ITS WATERPROOF HUSH PUPPIES.
BUT IT WAS ONLY AFTER LOCAL
REPORTING THAT RESIDENTS NEAR
ITS FACTORY IN BELMONT,
MICHIGAN, KNEW TO GET THEIR
WATER TESTED... AND FOR ONE
FAMILY, THE McNAUGHTONS, THE
RESULTS WERE PRETTY STRIKING.
AND BEFORE YOU WATCH THIS,
THE EPA'S ACCEPTABLE
LEVEL IN DRINKING WATER IS
70 PARTS PER TRILLION.
THEY LIVED IN THEIR HOUSE
ABOUT THREE YEARS WHEN TOBYN
LEARNED SHE WAS PREGNANT WITH
THEIR SON, JACK.
WE WERE REALLY EXCITED.
I WANTED THAT TO GO REALLY WELL,
SO I DRANK EIGHT GLASSES OF
WATER A DAY.
I, LIKE, KEPT TRACK.
I ATE REALLY HEALTHY.
IN APRIL OF 2016, JACK WAS
BORN.
HE HAD AN IMMENSE APPETITE
FOR WATER.
HE WAS THIRSTY ALL THE TIME.
TEST SHOWED ALMOST 2,000
PARTS PER TRILLION OF PFAs IN
THE MCNAUGHTON'S WATER.
AS SOON AS THEY COULD, TOBYN AND
SETH HAD JACK'S BLOOD TESTED.
THE RESULTS... 484,000 PARTS PER
TRILLION, MORE THAN 100 TIMES
THE NATIONAL AVERAGE.
HE'S THE HIGHEST LEVEL OF
PFAs THAT WE KNOW RIGHT NOW OF
ANY CHILD IN THE UNITED STATES.
HE GETS SICK MORE OFTEN AND HIS
VACCINATIONS HAVEN'T WORKED.
WOW, THAT IS
INCREDIBLE.
USUALLY WHEN YOUR CHILD IS THE
HIGHEST IN SOMETHING, YOUR
INSTINCT IS TO BRAG ABOUT IT,
BUT GOOD LUCK FINDING A BUMPER
STICKER WITH "MY CHILD HAS THE
HIGHEST LEVEL OF PFAs IN THE
UNITED STATES."
NOBODY WANTS THAT SHIT.
AND LOOK, I HAVE TO TELL YOU:
WOLVERINE SAYS IT'S MOVED TO FIX
THE PROBLEM FOR HOMEOWNERS IN
THAT AREA, ALTHOUGH YOU SHOULD
KNOW, IT IS JUST NOT A SIMPLE
THING TO GO ABOUT DOING.
THIS IS WHAT I AFFECTIONATELY
CALL MEGATRON... MY WHOLE HOME
FILTER, THIS RIGHT HERE.
BUT IT GOES THROUGH EACH OF
THESE TANKS... THESE ARE FULL OF
GRANULATED CARBON AND IT GOES
THROUGH THEM IN ORDER AND THEN
COMES OUT THIS ONE AND IS CLEAN.
SO EVERY WEEK THEY COME AND TEST
IT AT THE INTAKE AND THEN ALSO
AT THE EXIT SO THAT WE KNOW THAT
THE WATER IS EMPTY OF THAT.
OH, GREAT NEWS!
YOU DID IT, WOLVERINE!
PROBLEM SOLVED.
ALL IT TAKES IS A FOUR-TANK
SYSTEM AFFECTIONATELY NICKNAMED
"MEGATRON," A SPARE ROOM LARGE
ENOUGH TO HOUSE IT, AND A WEEKLY
VISIT FROM A TANK TECHNICIAN FOR
THE REST OF YOUR LIFE.
WATER PROBLEM?
MORE LIKE "WHAT'S YOUR PROBLEM?"
THIS IS A SYSTEM THAT WORKS.
BUT CLEARLY, A MEGATRON IN EVERY
HOME IS NOT A VIABLE SOLUTION
FOR THIS OR, INDEED, ANY
PROBLEM.
AND MAYBE BECAUSE OF THAT... AND
DEFINITELY BECAUSE OF A
COURT-APPROVED SETTLEMENT...
WOLVERINE HAS SINCE GONE TO THE
TROUBLE AND EXPENSE OF SWITCHING
THAT WOMAN FROM HER TAINTED WELL
WATER TO THE MUNICIPAL WATER
SUPPLY.
AND YET, MANY COMPANIES ARE
CONTINUING TO DO THE BARE
MINIMUM HERE OR EVEN TRYING TO
EVADE RESPONSIBILITY.
DuPONT, FOR INSTANCE, SETTLED A
CLASS-ACTION LAWSUIT WITH
RESIDENTS OF THE TOWN WHERE IT
WAS DUMPING C8, AND, SHORTLY
AFTERWARD, AGREED TO EVENTUALLY
PHASE OUT USING THE CHEMICAL.
WHICH SOUNDS GOOD.
BUT THERE ARE SOME SIGNIFICANT
ASTERISKS ON THAT.
BECAUSE WHILE THEY DID STOP
USING C8, THEY SIMPLY SWITCHED
TO A DIFFERENT KIND OF PFAs,
SOMETHING CALLED "GEN-X,"
SPINNING THE MANUFACTURE OF IT
OFF INTO A SEPARATE COMPANY,
CHEMOURS.
NOW, DID THEY DO THAT SO THAT
ANY LEGAL LIABILITY WOULDN'T
STICK TO THEM, AND INSTEAD,
SLIDE RIGHT OFF THEM LIKE BUGS
ON A TEFLON TREE?
WHO CAN SAY?
APPARENTLY NOT ME, LEGALLY.
WHAT I CAN SAY IS THAT, WHILE
CHEMOURS CLAIMS GEN-X IS SAFER,
SCIENTISTS STILL HAVE
SIGNIFICANT CONCERNS ABOUT ITS
PRESENCE IN THE WATER SUPPLY.
THIS IS, IN MY VIEW, MORE OF
A RISK THAN WE SHOULD BE FORCED
TO TAKE.
THIS COMPOUND'S A MEMBER OF A
CLASS OF COMPOUNDS THAT ARE ALL
THOUGHT TO BE ABLE TO MAKE
PEOPLE SICK WITH CANCERS OF
VARIOUS KINDS, OTHER KINDS OF
DYSFUNCTION.
WE DON'T KNOW THE FULL EXTENT OF
IT.
SO, WITH WHAT THESE
SCIENTISTS DO KNOW, WE ASK THEM
IF THEY THINK THE WATER IS SAFE
ENOUGH TO DRINK.
NOPE.
I DRINK TEQUILA STRAIGHT, BUT I
WON'T DRINK THE TAP WATER.
WELL, THAT DOESN'T
SOUND GOOD.
IF CASUAL FRIDAY SCIENTIST OVER
HERE WON'T DRINK THE TAP WATER,
THERE MIGHT BE SOME CAUSE FOR
ALARM.
AND WHILE WE'VE JUST FOCUSED ON
A HANDFUL OF INDIVIDUAL PFAs
TONIGHT, THERE ARE HUNDREDS, IF
NOT THOUSANDS, OF THEM.
SO THE PROBLEM IS, IF AND WHEN
GEN-X IS EVENTUALLY FOUND TO BE
HARMFUL, COMPANIES CAN
PRESUMABLY JUST MOVE ON TO
ANOTHER ONE, THEN ANOTHER ONE,
AND SO ON.
AND SO ON.
AND AT THIS POINT, YOU MIGHT BE
THINKING, "HOLY SHIT, THIS IS
ABSOLUTELY TERRIBLE.
SHOULD I START IMMEDIATELY
THROWING AWAY ALL MY PANS?"
WELL, I'LL START WITH THE GOOD
MEGHAN McCAIN IS NO
LONGER ON "THE VIEW."
THIS ROCK LOOKS LIKE
COOKIE MONSTER.
AND NO, YOU DON'T NECESSARILY
NEED TO THROW AWAY ALL YOUR
PANS.
EXPERTS SAY THAT IT'S VERY
UNLIKELY PFAs WILL BE RELEASED
IF THE PANS AREN'T OVERHEATED OR
SCRAPED.
NOW, YOU'RE UNDER SLIGHTLY MORE
RISK OF EXPOSURE FROM CLOTHING
THAT CONTAINS PFAs... WHICH IS,
UNFORTUNATELY, MOST STAINPROOF
OR WATERPROOF FABRICS, INCLUDING
CERTAIN ITEMS FROM COMPANIES
LIKE LULULEMON, NORTH FACE, AND
PATAGONIA... OR, INDEED, FROM
FOOD WRAPPERS THAT CONTAIN PFAs,
WHICH ARE, UNFORTUNATELY, USED
BY MULTIPLE CHAINS, INCLUDING
SOME OF THE PACKAGING AT
STARBUCKS, CHICK-FIL-A, AND
SUBWAY.
AND ALL THESE COMPANIES INSIST
THEY'RE WORKING TO REMOVE PFAs
FROM THEIR PRODUCTS COMPLETELY
IN THE COMING MONTHS AND YEARS,
AND I HOPE THAT THAT'S TRUE.
BUT WE HAVE HEARD THINGS LIKE
THAT BEFORE, AND YET, HERE WE
FUCKING ARE.
AND IT'S NOT LIKE IT'S EASY TO
KNOW WHICH PRODUCTS YOU'RE
BUYING DO AND DON'T CONTAIN
PFAs.
IT'S NOT LIKE THEY HAVE TO CARRY
LABELS STATING, "THIS PRODUCT
CONTAINS DEVIL'S PISS," ALTHOUGH
THAT'S ACTUALLY A VERY GOOD
IDEA, AND THEY SHOULD ABSOLUTELY
HAVE TO DO THAT.
BUT THE BIGGER ISSUE IS, NO
MATTER HOW RESPONSIBLE CONSUMERS
CHOOSE TO BE, IF THE FACTORY
THAT MAKES THE CHEMICALS DOESN'T
DISPOSE OF ITS WASTE PROPERLY,
IT'S LIKELY GETTING INTO YOUR
BLOODSTREAM ANYWAY.
WHICH IS PRETTY FRUSTRATING, AS
THE ACTIVIST YOU SAW EARLIER
NO ONE SAID, "HEY, YOU KNOW,
I'M GOOD WITH A LITTLE TEFLON
CHEMICAL IN MY BABY'S BLOOD."
NO ONE SAID THAT.
THEY SAID, "I LOVE THESE PANS."
EXACTLY.
NO ONE LOVES PANS SO MUCH THAT
THEY'D BE WILLING TO PUT POISON
IN THEIR BABY'S BLOOD.
WELL, TO BE HONEST, ONE PERSON
DOES BUT, IN HIS DEFENSE, THE
PANS DON'T FUCKING STICK!
NOW, IF YOU'RE WORRIED ABOUT
WHAT THE WATER IS LIKE WHERE YOU
LIVE, YOU CAN GO TO THIS
ADDRESS,
DON'T LIKE WHAT YOU
SEE, YOU CAN CONSIDER SOLUTIONS
LIKE DRINKING BOTTLED WATER, OR
USING A REVERSE OSMOSIS FILTER.
BUT THE TRUTH IS, IT
SHOULDN'T JUST BE ON US
AS INDIVIDUALS.
BECAUSE THE TRUTH IS, PFAs
SHOULDN'T BE IN MOST CONSUMER
PRODUCTS AT ALL.
AND AS COMPANIES SEEM UNLIKELY
TO ALL TAKE THEM OUT
VOLUNTARILY, WE BADLY NEED
LEGISLATION LIMITING THEIR USE
TO ONLY ESSENTIAL ITEMS, LIKE
CERTAIN MEDICAL DEVICES AND
PROTECTIVE CLOTHING.
BUT NOT JUST THAT... WE NEED TO
CHANGE THE WAY WE REGULATE PFAs
COMPLETELY.
INSTEAD OF REGULATING THEM ONE
AT A TIME, AS WE DO NOW, WE
SHOULD DO IT AS AN ENTIRE CLASS
OF CHEMICALS.
THIS WOULD ENABLE THE EPA TO
MORE EFFECTIVELY REGULATE NOT
JUST THE PFAs ALREADY IN USE,
BUT REPLACEMENTS LIKE GEN-X WHEN
THEY'RE INTRODUCED.
AND IN THE MEANTIME, IF
COMPANIES ARE GOING TO KEEP
LEANING IN ON THE CONVENIENCE OF
THEIR PRODUCTS WITHOUT
ACKNOWLEDGING THE COST, MAYBE WE
CAN HELP THEM, BY PROVIDING
THEIR ADS WITH SOME MUCH-NEEDED
CONTEXT.
CHEMISTRY IS THE PRACTICE OF
MAGIC.
LIKE ABRACADABRA, ZONKS,
WIZARDRY.
PEOPLE THINK OF TO HAVE FUN AND
THEY THINK OF FRYING PANS.
BAKE HOT PLATES WITH SMOOTH LONG
STICKS.
TEFLON IS NOT ONE THING, IT'S
DISEASE, SICKNESS, AND ITS
FUKCING EVERYWHERE.
CUT OUT.
YOU KNOW I'M SELF-CONSCIOUS
ABOUT THE MOUTH.
YOU KNOW ABOUT THAT.
DID YOU SAY YES OR NO.
PUTTING
PFA LS ON THE SURFACE... YOU
KNOW I'M SELF-CONSCIOUS ABOUT
THE MOUTH AND EVERYTHING, THE
CLOSE UP STUFF, AND THE
SPITTING?
YOU SAY IT'S GOING TO BE A
NORMAL SHOOT?
FOCUSING ON...
I PUT PFAs ON A BICYCLE CHAIN.
WHY?
BECAUSE I SUFFER FROM CHRONIC
INSOMNIA.
PROBABLY GOT IT FROM PFAs.
AND THEY ARE EVERYWHERE.
THE SAME CHEMICALS THAT ARE IN
ME ARE IN YOU, AND EVEN IN YOUR
CHILD.
I PUT SOMETHING IN YOUR CHILD!
AND IF THIS STUFF GETS INTO
WATER, THAT'S THE REAL
BIPPETY-BOPPETY MAGIC.
IT'S INCREDIBLE!
WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME YOU HEARD
ABOUT A LEATHER JACKET GIVING
YOU KIDNEY CANCER?
YOU CAN LET YOUR IMAGINATION RUN
WILD.
MINE IS RUNNING RIGHT NOW.
IT'S NOT OFTEN YOU GET TO PUT
SOMETHING TOXIC IN THE WORLD.
THAT'S OUR SHOW.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR WATCHING.
WE'LL SEE YOU NEXT WEEK.
GOOD NIGHT!
OKAY, OKAY.
CAN I SAY IT WITH A BRITISH
ACCENT?
NO?
YOU KNOW I'M SELF-CONSCIOUS
ABOUT MY LITTLE MOUTH.
YOU SAID THIS WOULD BE A NORMAL
SHOOT.
THAT'S A TERRIBLE BRITISH
ACCENT, BUT I'LL DO IT ANYWAY.
YOU KNOW I'M SELF-CONSCIOUS
ABOUT MY LITTLE MOUTH.
HE SAID THIS WOULD BE...