What are PFAS?

PFAS, also known as highly fluorinated chemicals, are a group of man-made substances used in products ranging from firefighting foam to microwavable popcorn packaging. When released into the environment, PFAS can travel far from their source, which heightens the chance of human exposure through drinking water or food. An analysis by the Environmental Working Group has shown that nearly 100 million Americans may have PFAS in their water.

 The discovery of groundwater, surface water, and drinking water contamination by fluorochemicals has triggered a global search for polluted areas, toxicology studies, contaminant sources, responsible party identification, and government actions to establish regulations. PFOS (perfluorooctanesulfonic acid) and PFOA (perfluorooctanoic acid) are the primary fluorochemicals of concern; however, they are only two members of a very large class known as per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) under investigation. PFAS are used as raw materials and in final products such as firefighting foams, industrial cleaning and treating products, and fabric and paper with water or grease repellents, and also to fabricate membranes for medical and water treatment applications. (source: http://flowforwater.org/pfas-environmental-public-health-crisis-needs-answers-action/)

The extent of American communities’ confirmed contamination with the highly toxic fluorinated compounds known as PFAS continues to grow at an alarming rate. As of October 2019, 1,398 locations in 49 states are known to be affected.

Figure 1: PFAS Contamination in the U.S. (Source: https://www.ewg.org/interactive-maps/2019_pfas_contamination).