Forever Chemicals, Carpet Companies and a ‘Crisis That’s Not Fully Understood’

For decades, PFAS, a group of manmade forever chemicals prized for their water- and stain-resistance, have been ubiquitous in U.S. manufacturing, found in everything from nonstick pans and raincoats to shoes and carpets.

But these chemicals, which take decades or longer to degrade, are also being found elsewhere: in the environment, in drinking water — and in people. Researchers have linked high levels of some PFAS types in human blood to serious health problems.

It’s an issue that comes into sharp focus in northwest Georgia, home to some of the world’s largest carpet companies, which for decades used products containing PFAS to make carpets stain resistant.

Dana Barr of Emory University’s Rollins School of Public Health, an environmental scientist, tested PFAS levels in the blood of nearly 200 residents in the region: “We’ve compared them to the general U.S. population, and their values are much higher than the general U.S. population.”