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As we close out another Earth Month, let’s take a moment to take a step back and reflect on how the Earth has been impacted over the last year.

Wildfires have devastated California throughout the last year. In just the last few months, public concern has grown louder as eight destructive wildfires swept across Los Angeles, burning nearly 50,000 acres. Thousands of homes — some passed down for generations — have sadly been reduced to ash.

But beyond the visible destruction lies a deeper question: what happens to the environment, and to our health when these buildings burn? What do we breathe in when plastics, metals, and construction debris are incinerated? What are the long term impacts of living near contaminated soil and water? The danger doesn’t end when the flames are put out.

An emerging threat after the long, devastating damage from the fires includes the presence of flame retardant building materials such as asbestos and PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances) used in consumer products and firefighting foams. These chemicals that had been trapped within the walls and furniture as well as in the products used to fight the fires themselves serve as a threat not only to the public health of the community, but to the Earth itself.

Asbestos — a material typically found in walls of older homes — is naturally resistant to fires and was commonly used in the early 1900s through the 1970s and ‘80s for construction purposes. That matters today because over 34,460 structures in the Palisades area — roughly 73% — were built before 1980, a time when asbestos use was widespread in homes, schools, and commercial buildings.

Asbestos is made up of silicon, oxygen, hydrogen, and various metal ions. After a fire, it can break apart into dust-like fibers too small to see with the naked eye yet small enough to be inhaled deeply into the lungs. These tiny fibers are dangerous because they don’t break down easily in the body. Once they settle in the lungs or other organs, they can sit silently for years before symptoms of serious illness begin to appear. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) warns that asbestos related diseases often have a long latency period but devastating outcomes: lung cancer; mesothelioma; and the chronic, irreversible lung disease asbestosis.

Asbestos is still the number one cause of occupational cancer worldwide. Although banned in over 60 countries, it still hasn’t been fully banned globally. The Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA), established in 1976, served as a response to the rise of industrial chemical manufacturing during World War 2. TSCA regulates toxic chemicals that are imported or processed in the U.S. and requires American companies to track and report the chemicals they’re using and requires the EPA to evaluate whether these chemicals pose risks to human health or the environment. TSCA served as a step forward in categorizing and regulating these chemicals.

Another major concern is PFAS. PFAS are long lasting chemicals that are often referred to as “forever chemicals” because they do not break down easily. PFAS are commonly added to food products and furniture for their water resistant properties but their widespread usage has led to PFAS contamination in drinking water and soil. For many years, these chemicals were also a key ingredient in firefighting foam. Firefighting foam utilized PFAS because the substances’ strong carbon-fluorine bonds allowed them to control large scale fires and stick around longer. California passed Senate Bill 1044 in 2022, which began phasing out PFAS-based foams when we recognized the dangers they posed to firefighters and the environment. Researchers at John Hopkins Physics Lab are working on PFAS-free fire suppressants for military use. One promising discovery? Octanol, a compound found in essential oils and perfumes, shows potential for enhancing the performance of PFAS-free foams. The research is ongoing, but it represents a promising step toward a safer, more sustainable fire response.

In the meantime, we at the Center for Environmental Health (CEH) have launched a Purchaser Pledge to combat these rising risks and fight back against toxic exposure in our everyday lives. This initiative empowers large institutions and individual consumers alike to buy furniture free from the “Hazardous Handful” — a group of toxic chemicals including fire retardants, PFAS, antimicrobials, and more. CEH’S tools are comprehensive: a database of healthier furniture options, shopping guides, scientific briefs, and a PFAS-free eco-label fact sheet. These resources do not just inform but they actively drive market change.

Our Purchaser Pledge has prompted hundreds of manufacturers to reformulate their products with safer materials, creating a new toxic-free furniture industry. This work has become crucial as fire events grow more frequent and intense which increases the chances of chemical exposure from burning household materials. Reducing the use of toxic chemicals in everyday products  protects people during emergencies when they are at their most vulnerable.

As Earth Month comes to a close, let it be a reminder that the fight for a healthier planet is also a  fight for healthier people. And in the face of fire, toxic air, and invisible dangers, organizations like CEH show us what it means to push for change not just during April, but all year long.