Researchers Find PFAS on Ski Slopes

Researchers from The James Hutton Institute in Aberdeen, Scotland and the University of Graz in Austria have found PFAS from ski wax on the snowy slopes of ski resorts in Austria. The findings raise concern on the impact these “forever chemicals” could have on the local environment, particularly groundwater.

The study, published in the journal Environmental Science: Processes and Impacts, analyzed snow melt, soil and various ski waxes, which are typically used to protect skis and offer a smoother glide. Ski wax often contains PFAS, or per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances, as these substances have water-resistant properties. But more and more studies are reviewing how long-lasting PFAS impact the environment and human health.

“These chemicals are called forever chemicals because they will need hundreds of years to break down. Because of this, they could accumulate or spread into the wider environment, including groundwater systems, which is the main concern,” Viktoria Müller, lead author of the study, said in a statement.

The researchers found 14 types of PFAS chemicals at Alpine ski slopes, and the PFAS levels found at ski resorts was higher than at non-skiing locations used as controls in the study.

“While there has been concern about the use of PFAS in ski wax for some time, this study on Alpine ski slopes showed that skiing will produce orders of magnitude higher concentrations of PFAS on to anywhere skiing is taking place where these types of wax area used,” Müller explained. “However, even where there is no skiing, there are still small detections because of how widely this chemical has now spread in the environment.”

The study follows recent bans on PFAS use in ski wax at some resorts and professional skiing events, including bans by The International Ski and Snowboard Federation and The International Biathlon Union. In January 2022, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) issued an alert on perfluorinated chemicals in ski wax, noting that some PFAS are toxic and long-lasting, even in small amounts. Studies have linked certain PFAS, such as PFOA and PFOS, to liver and kidney damage, thyroid disruption and cancer, according to the EPA.

Although the study found higher levels of PFAS in skiing areas and linked that ski wax may be a “significant source of PFAS”, the authors concluded that more research is needed to determine other potential sources of PFAS contamination, especially as there are few studies on PFAS in snow and soil.

“This study showed that public skiing can produce orders of magnitude higher PFAS concentrations in remote Alpine regions and can be a significant source of PFAS in soils,” the authors wrote. “However, other PFAS sources should be also considered.”