Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), often called "forever chemicals," have been detected in water supplies, soil, and human blood across virtually every country on Earth. These synthetic compounds, used in products ranging from non-stick cookware to firefighting foam, do not break down naturally in the environment or in the human body, leading scientists and public health officials to describe their spread as a form of universal contamination.
Research has linked PFAS exposure to a range of serious health conditions, including certain cancers, thyroid disease, immune system disruption, and developmental problems in children. The chemicals are so pervasive that studies have found them in the blood of people living in remote Arctic communities, far from any industrial source, as well as in rainwater sampled at locations around the globe.
Regulatory agencies in the United States and European Union have moved to tighten limits on PFAS in drinking water. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency finalized maximum contaminant levels for several PFAS compounds in drinking water in 2024, setting enforceable limits for the first time. The EU has similarly pursued restrictions under its chemicals strategy, though full implementation remains ongoing.
Despite these regulatory steps, environmental advocates warn that cleanup of contaminated sites will take decades and cost hundreds of billions of dollars. Thousands of industrial sites, military bases, and landfills are known sources of PFAS pollution, and the technology to remove these chemicals from water at scale remains expensive and not universally available. Scientists continue to call for a global treaty to phase out non-essential uses of PFAS chemicals.
