Effects of PFAS on the Environment

The effects of PFAS on the environment are global. PFAS have been with us for decades, and we will be feeling their impact for decades to come. Find out more about PFAS, their effects on our environment, the effects on our health, and what you can do if you have been harmed by PFAS.

Introduction

PFAS are a group of manmade chemicals used in many products. They can contaminate our air, soil, water, and the foods we eat. PFAS may lead to severe illnesses. ⁽¹⁾

Exposure to PFAS can impact your health and your pocketbook. Take the case of Maria and Tony. They moved into their home in Michigan 30 years ago. They managed to pay off their mortgage 5 years ago. As they got older in age, they decided to move to Florida.

One big problem. PFAS contaminated their Michigan community’s soil and groundwater. Home values plummeted. Neighbors have gotten sick.

Now, Maria and Tony are stuck in a home no one wants to buy, in a community that isn’t safe to live in. They need help.

What Are PFAS?

PFAS is short for per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances. There may be thousands of them. Manufacturers have been using PFAS since the 1940s. ^{(2) (3)}

PFAS have been used in nonstick cookware, stain-resistant carpets and fabrics, water-repellent clothes, firefighting foam, and cosmetics. PFAS are used to resist grease, oil, and water. You can also find them in medical products, mining chemicals, and the equipment used to manufacture our computer chips. ^{(4) (5)}

PFAS are compounds containing fluorine and carbon. The unique bond between fluorine and carbon in these substances is one of the most stable compounds known to scientists. This bond is incredibly hard to break. That fact is why PFAS are nicknamed “forever chemicals.” ⁽⁶⁾

Sources of PFAS in the Environment

Some of the biggest sources of PFAS contamination in our environment include industrial waste sites, firefighting foam, soil and water at landfills, drinking water, fish caught from PFAS-contaminated water, dairy products from cows exposed to PFAS, and fertilizer from wastewater treatment facilities. ⁽⁷⁾

PFAS are almost everywhere, including our homes, our supermarkets, and our offices. PFAS are not banned. This means manufacturers are continuing to use them. We buy them in many products we purchase all the time, from tennis shoes to waterproof apparel, cleaning products, umbrellas, furniture, bedding, cosmetics, and products used by infants. ⁽⁸⁾

Wherever we find the words “waterproof,” “stain-repellent,” and “dirt-repellant,” we are probably buying a product with PFAS in it. Because PFAS are added in all kinds of things, they get into our bodies and waste sites, sewage, groundwater, and soil. Then the cycle repeats itself. ⁽⁹⁾

According to a U.S. Geological Survey, 71 to 95 million people throughout the United States, not counting Hawaii and Alaska, may be relying on ground water contaminated with PFAS for their drinking water. ⁽¹⁰⁾

What Is the Biggest Source of PFAS in the Environment?

One significant source of PFAS in the environment threatening human health is dietary intake. PFAS can enter your body from eating many types of food. Fish and other seafood account for as much as 86% of our exposure through food. The source of PFAS contamination comes mainly from industrial waste that poisons our water. Contaminated water leads to PFAS contamination of everything we eat and drink. ⁽¹¹⁾

How Are PFAS Harmful to the Environment?

One of the biggest problems with PFAS is that they don’t break down in the environment. They build up in the environment, people, and other living things. ⁽¹²⁾

PFAS have been around for decades — they don’t go away. They persist. Manufacturers create PFAS toxic waste all the time. As consumers, we buy and throw out products made with PFAS. The more products, the more PFAS waste. ⁽¹³⁾

Persistent accumulation of PFAS leads to what is called bioaccumulation. PFAS waste gets into our air, water, and soil. Plants, wildlife, and humans all rely on this air, water, and soil. Until the cycle is broken, we all face continued PFAS exposure. ⁽¹⁴⁾

PFAS cause considerable damage. In several areas in New York, including Hoosick Falls and Petersburgh, drinking water supplies were contaminated with PFAS. Residents were getting sick, so Weitz & Luxenberg stepped in to file lawsuits against the companies that were responsible.

The Harmful Effects of PFAS on Human Health

PFAS are linked to severe diseases. Cancer, liver damage, and damage to our reproductive organs are among these. Researchers are trying to discover how PFAS hurts us. Right now, they’ve noticed specific PFAS can: ⁽¹⁵⁾

• Increase our cholesterol levels.
• Lower our antibody response to some vaccines.
• Change our liver enzymes.
• Lead to pregnancy-induced hypertension and preeclampsia.
• Affect an infant’s birth weight.
• Increase our risk for certain cancers, including kidney, testicular, liver, and thyroid cancer.

We are most likely to be exposed to PFAS in contaminated water and the foods we eat. We can also be exposed through the products we use and by breathing air contaminated with PFAS. People and other living things are exposed to PFAS regularly. The PFAS present in our blood levels can increase over time. ⁽¹⁶⁾

Geographic Distribution of PFAS Contamination

Our exposure to PFAS is widespread across the country. However, where we live and what we do for a living matter. Generally, PFAS are used in some industries more than others. You typically find PFAS in the aerospace, electronics, automotive, and construction industries. ⁽¹⁷⁾

At the federal level, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has set maximum levels for different PFAS contaminants. States and localities across the country are expected to meet these standards.

Many states have either established or are in the process of establishing regulations for PFAS in water. These states include: ⁽¹⁸⁾

• Connecticut.
• Maine.
• Michigan.
• New Hampshire.
• New Jersey.
• New York.
• Pennsylvania.
• Washington.

Also, states require PFAS to be monitored in public drinking water systems. ⁽¹⁹⁾

What States Have the Highest Levels of PFAS?

States in the Northeast have some of the highest levels of PFAS in drinking water. Highly industrialized areas of New York, New Jersey, and Massachusetts are among the most affected, primarily along the coastline. Philadelphia and Pennsylvania are also among the regions most affected. ^{(20) (21)}

Some of these states already follow federal guidelines for limiting PFAS in drinking water. Other states or regions within states are implementing their own state-specific guidelines for PFAS in drinking water.

• Tampa Bay, Florida. ⁽²²⁾ 
• Oregon. ⁽²³⁾ 
• South Carolina. ⁽²⁴⁾
• Washington State. ⁽²⁵⁾
• Wisconsin. ⁽²⁶⁾

Ongoing Efforts and Future Outlook

Agencies across the country are conducting research on PFAS. We need to know more about PFAS so we can protect ourselves from the effects of PFAS on the environment. ^{(27) (28)}

As of April 2024, the EPA has issued a national drinking water standard. This is the first time the federal government has set a drinking water standard to protect communities across the country. ⁽²⁹⁾

This PFAS regulation is expected to lessen PFAS exposure for roughly 100 million people. The EPA is providing $1 billion to states and territories to help them test and treat their public water systems, as well as help owners of private wells. ⁽³⁰⁾

Identifying Hazardous Substances

Back in the 1970s, the federal government recognized the very real dangers of hazardous industrial waste sites and dumping grounds for toxic waste. The EPA established its Superfund program. This program gave the federal government the power to target and prioritize cleanup of the worst of the worst contaminated waste sites. ⁽³¹⁾

The Superfund program has identified more than 800 hazardous substances. Cleaning up these sites means communities can put that land to safe and productive use. ⁽³²⁾

Two of the main challenges are time and money. The process itself is complex. Also, sometimes just implementing the law itself is difficult. The Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA) policy has been in effect for decades.

However, some companies and municipal agencies try to figure out ways to avoid complying with these regulations. Another emerging problem is climate change. Heavy rainfalls, loss of coastal barriers, and flooding all make cleaning up hazardous waste sites difficult. ^{(33) (34)}

PFAS are being phased out of production all across the country. However, scientists are replacing them with hundreds of alternative PFAS. We don’t know if these alternative PFAS are any safer than the PFAS they are replacing. ⁽³⁵⁾

Litigation: How W&L Can Help

Weitz & Luxenberg is a national leader in environmental pollution litigation. Our team is led by a former Assistant U.S. Attorney and Assistant Chief of the U.S. Department of Justice’s Environmental Crimes Section. Robin L. Greenwald is known across the country as a legal force to be reckoned with. 

You might remember the 2010 BP Oil Spill in the Gulf of Mexico. The spill devastated the coastline for hundreds of miles, decimating wildlife and destroying people’s livelihoods. Ms. Greenwald worked at the top level to help thousands of victims get their lives back, including getting their share of the multibillion dollar payout.

Our team also tackles PFAS contaminated water lawsuits. We’ve gone after the bigger corporations that put communities in danger with their toxic waste. These include a $54 million settlement against 3M Company and Wolverine Worldwide Inc. for PFAS contamination.

And W&L achieved a confidential settlement between The City of Stuart, Florida, and 3M for PFAS contaminated groundwater wells and the public water system. The company manufactured firefighting foam that contaminated the community’s water with PFAS.

If you have gotten sick from PFAS exposure, you may be eligible for:

• Medical costs, including doctors’ visits, lab work and other diagnostic tools, and treatment.
• Property damage, including costs for temporary housing, cleanup, and economic loss due to a decrease in your property’s value.
• Pain and suffering, including the disruption to your life and your physical and mental health.

Weitz & Luxenberg

PFAS have been around us for decades in the many products we buy and use. But thanks to companies that dumped PFAS toxic waste irresponsibly, PFAS have contaminated our soil, water, and air. We’re going to be living with the impacts for a long time.

If you get sick from PFAS exposure, know that there is someone you can turn to for help. You need to be able to count on someone. Hire an experienced law firm like Weitz & Luxenberg to stand up for your rights. We’ve been around since the mid-1980s and we’ve been helping people ever since. In fact, we have won more than $19 billion on behalf of our clients who were harmed by other people’s actions.

We offer a free initial case evaluation. To find out how we can help you, contact us by calling (917) LAWYERS or fill out the form on this page. The effects of PFAS on the environment are long lasting. We are prepared to help you consider your legal options.