Forever Chemicals

About 600 of the 12,000 chemical compounds known as PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances) are used in a multitude of consumer products and industrial processes because they resist heat, oil, grease, stains and water. Many are known as “forever chemicals” because they are hard to destroy and can last indefinitely in water, soil, air and the human body. PFAS have been linked to health issues and increasingly are the target of regulation and legal action. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) on March 14 proposed its first-ever regulation of PFAS in drinking water, which could force water systems nationwide to make costly upgrades. Several states have banned certain PFAS uses, 28 states are considering new regulations this year and the European Union is considering banning substances. Manufacturers, who discovered the dangers posed by the chemicals decades ago but did not report them to regulators as required by law, have paid out millions in penalties and settlements. Nevertheless, they say, many PFAS are safe when used properly and are irreplaceable and important to the economy. Many retailers have switched to PFAS-free products, and scientists are developing ways to remove the chemicals from public water supplies.