PFAS ‘Forever Chemicals’ Tied to Cancer, Birth Defects

Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) are a group of thousands of manufactured chemicals widely used by a range of industries and commonly found in a large number of consumer products. One common characteristic of PFAS is that they persist in the environment and can accumulate in humans and animals. For this reason, they are often referred to as “forever chemicals.”

Some PFAS have been linked to cancer, birth defects, liver disease, thyroid disease, decreased immunity, hormone disruption and a range of other serious health problems.

Most people in the United States have been exposed to some PFAS, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The chemicals have been documented in the blood of people and animals around the world, and have been found to be pervasive in the environment, particularly in areas where manufacturers or other industrial users are actively handling PFAS. In response to a Freedom of Information Act request, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in 2021 released a spreadsheet of more than 120,000 facilities around the U.S. that may be handling PFAS. Download that spreadsheet here.