Forever Chemicals & PFAS
What are they and what can you do about them?
PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances) are a class of thousands of synthetic chemicals prized for their ability to resist heat, water, grease, and stains. They show up in nonstick cookware, waterproof clothing, food packaging, cosmetics, firefighting foam, and countless industrial products. That same durability is the problem: PFAS barely break down in nature, which is why they've earned the nickname "forever chemicals."
Why they matter
Because PFAS don't degrade, they accumulate — in soil, in water, in wildlife, and in us. They've been detected in the drinking water of an estimated 200 million people in the United States, and studies routinely find them in the blood of nearly everyone tested. Once released, they migrate through the environment and persist for generations.
Health effects
Even at very low levels of exposure, PFAS have been linked to a range of serious health problems, including:
Cancer, particularly kidney and testicular cancer
Liver and kidney damage
Hormone and cholesterol disruption
Developmental effects in infants and children
Harm to the immune, nervous, and reproductive systems
For the two most-studied compounds, PFOA and PFOS, health experts have concluded there is no known safe level of exposure in drinking water.
Where they come from — and where they end up
PFAS enter the environment during manufacturing, through everyday product use, and at the end of a product's life. This last stage is where waste and PFAS intersect. Landfills can leach PFAS into groundwater; incineration may release them into the air if not done at high enough temperatures; and PFAS-treated packaging and textiles carry the chemicals into recycling and composting streams, contaminating otherwise recoverable materials. Reducing what we throw away — and choosing products made without PFAS in the first place — keeps these chemicals out of the cycle.
What's being done
In 2024, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency set the first enforceable national drinking water limits for six PFAS, capping PFOA and PFOS at 4 parts per trillion. Those standards have since been the subject of legal challenges and proposed rollbacks, with compliance deadlines for PFOA and PFOS now proposed to extend to 2031 and rules for four other PFAS proposed for rescission. The regulatory picture is still in flux, and states are increasingly setting their own standards and product bans.
What you can do
Filter your water. Certified reverse-osmosis and activated-carbon filters can reduce PFAS at the tap.
Check your water report. Many utilities now publish PFAS testing results.
Avoid PFAS in products. Look for cookware, packaging, and clothing labeled "PFAS-free," and be wary of nonstick, waterproof, and stain-resistant treatments.
Reduce and reuse. Buying less and keeping products longer limits the PFAS that reach landfills and incinerators.
The science and regulation around PFAS are evolving quickly. For the latest federal guidance, see the U.S. EPA's PFAS resources.