From non-stick frying pans to stain-resistant sofas, some of the most innovative everyday products are made using chemicals known as per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). These "forever chemicals" —so-called because they don't degrade—have been used in a variety of consumer and commercial applications since the 1950s. They can repel water and oil, resist high temperatures and act as "surfactants" by helping different types of liquids mix.
There are around 15,000 different PFAS chemicals . Each one has a slightly different chemical composition, but they all have at least two carbon-fluorine bonds. These extremely strong bonds mean that PFAS don't readily break down .
So the bond that affords PFAS some of its unique characteristics also causes them to build up and persist in our bodies and the environment for decades . In 2020 alone, sales of fluoropolymers (a sub-group of PFAS) exceeded 39,000 metric tons in Europe alone . With enormous volumes of PFAS continually entering the world, these extremely persistent chemicals don't get the chance to degrade before more are added.
Unsurprisingly, it gets everywhere, from rainwater and snow through to soil and groundwater . As a result, PFAS has built up in the food chain and in humans . It's impossible to avoid PFAS exposure entirely—they are pretty much everywhere.
But you can substantially reduce your exposure by avoiding contact with items directly treated with non-essential PFAS and opting for PFAS-free alternatives w.
