Often referred to as "forever chemicals," per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) have emerged as one of the most pressing environmental justice issues facing the US. These chemicals, which have been used for decades in firefighting foam, waterproof clothing, nonstick cookware, and countless other products, do not decompose naturally. They build up in human bodies and the environment, posing major health risks such as immunological dysfunction, cancer, liver and kidney disease, and infertility.
Nearly every state has experienced PFAS contamination, but low-income, rural, and marginalized communities that depend on groundwater close to waste or industrial sites are disproportionately affected. These communities frequently lack the financial and political clout to insist on safe substitutes or cleanup. The Guardian claims that the increasing use of PFAS-containing treated sewage effluent to "restore" wetlands has increased risks in numerous areas.
Some rivers are now "almost entirely" effluent, like the Trinity River near Dallas. While local water districts are spending almost $1.8 billion to install PFAS-removal technology, in Orange County, California, effluent is used to recharge an aquifer that provides drinking water for 2.5 million people.
3M consented to pay the state of New Jersey up to $450 million in May 2025 for drinking water contamination brought on by PFAS from the Chambers Works industrial facility along the Delaware River. With the goal of financing both cleanup and filtration projects, it is the biggest clean-water settlement in New Jersey history.
Residents of upstate New York organized legal campaigns and performed their own water tests after officials declined to look into contamination. Prior to her death, one of the most extensive PFAS bans in the nation was prompted by the story of Amara Strande, a young Minnesota cancer patient.