Lucy Crisetig

There are thousands of individual PFAS chemicals. They’re a complex, and continuously expanding group of manufactured compounds widely used to make everyday products more resistant to stains, grease, and water.

They’re used to keep food from sticking to cookware, make clothes and carpets resistant to stains, and create firefighting foam that is more effective. PFAS are also used in industries, such as, aerospace, automotive, construction, electronics, and military.

They take a long time to break down in our environment, so inevitably, they remain in our air, soil, and water, including your drinking water, for a long time.

According to the NIH, more research is needed to fully understand all sources of exposure. The most likely form of exposure to these chemicals is by consuming PFAS-contaminated water or food, using products made with PFAS, or breathing air containing PFAS.