Scientists have accused skiers of leaving “eternal” chemical traces: danger of cancer

Ski wax leaves harmful chemicals on ski slopes

New research has found 14 different types of chemicals commonly used in ski wax on the slopes of Austrian ski resorts.

Skiers are leaving “chemicals” in the snow on ski slopes, a study has found.

According to The Guardian, per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) – a group of about 10,000 man-made chemicals widely used in industrial processes, firefighting foams and consumer products – are colloquially known as “forever chemicals” due to their their persistence in the environment; they do not decompose easily.

Some PFAS have been linked to cancer, thyroid disease, and problems with the immune system and fertility, as well as developmental defects in unborn children.

Research from the James Hutton Institute in Aberdeen and the University of Graz in Austria found that 14 different types of PFAS chemicals commonly used in ski wax were found in much higher levels in soil at family ski resorts in the Austrian Alps. than in areas not typically used for skiing.

Lead researcher Victoria Muller said: “These chemicals are called forever chemicals because they take hundreds of years to decompose. Because of this, they can accumulate or spread into the wider environment, including groundwater systems, which is a major concern. While there have been concerns about the use of PFAS in ski wax for some time, this study on ski slopes found that skiing will produce orders of magnitude higher concentrations of PFAS anywhere skiing occurs where these types of wax are used . However, even where there is no skiing, there are still small detections due to how widespread this chemical is now in the environment.”

Skiers use wax to make their skis slipperier and go down the slopes faster. A study published Thursday found that chemicals in wax remain long after a skier reaches the bottom of the slope.

Ski wax containing PFAS chemicals was recently banned from some top resorts and professional racing circuits due to the potential for toxicity, The Guardian notes.

The chemicals, first used in the 1940s, have become so common in the environment that they have been found in drinking water across England and in the sea in the Netherlands. Scientists and conservationists around the world are pushing for a complete ban on PFAS because of how long it takes to break down in the environment and concerns about how toxic it is.