WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT PFAS From frying pans to raincoats, carpets to mascara, corporations profit handsomely off “non-stick,” “waterproof,” “stain-repellent” products. But these everyday goods can come with a high cost — PFAS contamination.
A MESSAGE FOR YOU Your generosity is taking our fight against toxic PFAS to the next level! Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are a group of more than 12,000 lab-made chemicals that can harm our bones, liver, immune and reproductive systems, and are likely carcinogens. They’re called “forever chemicals” because they don’t really break down in the environment. Since the 1940s, the chemical industry has polluted our planet with PFAS, adding them to a range of products from fire- fighting foam to nonstick pans. PFAS are now almost everywhere — in at least 45 percent of our drinking water supplies, in human breast milk and blood, and in the rain that falls in remote parts of the Arctic. This is a crisis. That’s why I’m so grateful for your commitment to protecting people and our planet from PFAS contam- ination. Because of you, our new Water Action Team is engaging volunteers to build support for the PFAS Action Act, comprehensive legislation that protects everyone’s drinking water from these danger- ous chemicals. Thank you for fighting for PFAS- free water!
Mary Grant Public Water for All Campaign Director
Scientists are uncovering growing evidence that PFAS, the class of chemicals behind these “modern marvel” attributes, harm our health and communities. And the scariest thing is that they are everywhere. Thanks to your generosity, Food & Water Watch is fighting for strong regulations to stop PFAS and hold corporations accountable for cleaning up their toxic mess.
Cover: PFAS can be found in many products you bring home, including toys. Food & Water Volunteer Network Director Katy Kiefer's kids are pictured playing with their favorite building blocks. Like many moms, she grapples with choosing toys that her children enjoy that are also durable and free of toxins. Keeping on top of which toys contain PFAS can be a struggle.
1 | SUMMER 2024
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