Every day millions of people across the country are exposed to food and drinking water contaminated with PFAS, a class of some 5,000 toxic chemicals that the federal government has failed to regulate. And yet, no enforceable rules exist to protect our families from these “forever chemicals.” This must change, right now.
PFAS are man-made toxic chemicals first developed during efforts to create the atomic bomb now used in everyday products such as waterproof jackets, nonstick pans, food wrappers, and personal care products. They persist in the environment, readily spread from sources of contamination, and can remain in bodies for decades, which is why they are known as “forever chemicals.” They’ve been linked to serious medical problems, including cancer, infertility, and impaired fetal development.
For decades, chemical manufacturers such as 3M and DuPont knew that exposure to PFAS was linked with serious health harms, but hid the truth from their workers, fenceline communities, and regulators. Even after the EPA learned about the dangers, it failed to take action. Rather than doing what is needed, EPA recently issued a toothless “action plan.” But this “plan” fails to promise that it will take the necessary steps to ensure our drinking water is safe or notify communities when PFAS are released in their backyards.
The EPA’s proposed “action plan” falls far short of what is needed to protect our communities and workers. For far too long, real people have been left in the dark and unprotected while polluters have released toxic PFAS into our water and air.
We can’t let chemical manufacturers continue to release these “forever chemicals,” poisoning ourselves and our families. Tell the EPA to take real action and end ongoing pollution from PFAS chemicals!
