Remove forever chemicals from our daily lives

“PFAS,” which stands for per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, are a class of thousands of what are known as “forever chemicals” that are nondegradable, accumulate in human bodies and the environment, and are extremely toxic, even at miniscule levels. PFAS can be found in everyday products like nonstick pans, waterproof jackets, mascara, and hairspray. In addition, they’ve been detected in the drinking water supplies in more than 1,000 communities nationwide, including major cities like New York, Washington D.C., and Chicago.

The EPA proposed to designate the two most notorious PFAS — PFOA and PFOS — as hazardous substances under the Superfund law last year. This year, they are soliciting comments on the potential designation of additional PFAS as hazardous substances in future rulemaking processes. The designation of PFAS as hazardous substances is a critical step in holding polluters accountable for contaminating communities. Even though some states have already established their own clean-up requirements, creating federal standards is essential to spur clean-up of the most contaminated areas.

PFAS were created in the 1940s and used in products like Teflon and firefighting foam. Companies like 3M and Dupont manufactured and dumped PFOA and PFOS for much of the 20th century — despite knowing these chemicals were harmful — resulting in widespread drinking water contamination. 3M recently announced that they will stop making PFAS by the end of 2025, but this doesn’t reverse the damage done throughout the decades. For decades, the military has also polluted communities via PFAS-containing firefighting foam used extensively during training exercises. Today, PFOA and PFOS have been largely phased out of production in the United States due to links to cancers and birth defects — but they are still present in the environment and in products that are being imported into the U.S. Moreover, other PFAS continue to be produced in massive quantities and released to the air, water and soil. These newer PFAS include “precursors” that break down into PFOA, PFOS, and other PFAS. Meanwhile, more than 95% of the U.S. population has PFAS in their bodies, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Enough is enough. Forever chemicals can’t be allowed to contaminate our bodies and the environment. Take action with Earthjustice today to tell the EPA to clean up these toxic chemicals from our daily lives!