PFAS: Managing New Concerns And Risk Of Contamination

There has been increasing attention, regulation and litigation regarding a family of over 5,000 manufactured chemicals (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances or PFAS) found in everyday products. Although there is still considerable uncertainty as to environmental and health implications of PFAS, the crackdown on these chemicals in other jurisdictions suggests we may soon see the same in Canada.

PFAS are found in products such as waterproofing and cleaning products, non-stick cookware, paints, and firefighting foam. Human health and environmental concerns have been associated with their manufacture, use and dispersion in the environment. Often called "forever chemicals," PFAS take a long time to break down in the environment, can migrate through soil and groundwater and have been linked to adverse health effects such as cancer.