Concerns about the Health & Environmental Impact of Perfluorochemicals in Ski Wax

HF’s from ski products can build up in blood and pose health risks.

Wax tech’s bodies actually start making their own PFC’s and PFC levels keep rising after exposure during the World Cup season. PFC’s are linked with multiple health risks, including cardiovascular disease, liver damage, and cancer.

And it’s not just profressional wax techs. HF products are putting volunteers (often parents) at risk. By chance a study looking at PFC levels in the general population found a person with abnormally high PFC levels. Researchers learned this was a parent who’s child competed in nordic ski racing and their volunteer duties included waxing kids’ skis.

The current practice at most ski clubs is Personal Protective Equipment (respirators) to limit exposure, but per standard Health & Safety “hierarchy of control” respirators should be considered a last resort. Elimination (eliminate fluoro products) and Substitution (i.e., consider using a non fluoro or lower fluoro wax) should be prioritized to reduce the avoidable health consequences of fluoro wax products.

Other concerns with respirators include (i) not all teams/athletes use respirators or enforce this; (ii) respirators are expensive and require correct fit; (iii) race venues rarely offer specialized ventilation to ensure health & safety, and (iv) there is evidence that this protection is not adequate. Also, chemical residues remain on clothing and hair, and athletes are exposed when they enter wax rooms to talk to their coach or prepare skis. Studies show that wax techs have extremely high levels of PFC compounds in their blood (PFOA=45 X higher than the general population).

Thus, practices at most nordic ski clubs violates Health & Safety guidelines and poses potential health risks for coaching staff, parents volunteering who wax skis, and possibly athletes who spend time in the team waxing rooms during races.

HF’s can harm the environment (residues from ski trail snowmelt drains into watersheds, streams, etc., and wax shavings are simply being put in the trash ).

These impacts (along with health concerns) are serious enough for the Norwegian Environment Agency to recommend avoiding the use of HF products and recommend banning HF products.

New “eco” non LF waxes are being developed in light the forthcoming EU ban on HF in wax production.

HF glide products are shockingly expensive. Is this the best use of limited resources at most nordic ski clubs, and is it really helping develop better athletes?

Why not put this money into other lasting resources that will make a true difference? Areas like coach education, subsidizing racing costs for athletes, or buying team skis (a correctly fit ski is way more important than wax) would have a much greater and lasting impact compared to fluoro wax application (without the health risks!).