Per-and polyfluoroalkyl substances (collectively,
“PFAS”) are a group of nearly 5,000 human-made
chemicals that are resistant to heat, water and oil. Due to these
“resistance” properties, since the 1940s, PFAS have
been used in a broad spectrum of industrial applications and
commercial products, including everyday household items and
packaging. Some examples of PFAS usage include carpeting,
waterproof clothing, upholstery, food paper wrappings, cookware,
personal care products, fire-fighting foams, and metal plating.
In the environment, PFAS rapidly move through groundwater. Thus,
PFAS frequently are found in public and private water sources
throughout the United States.
Unfortunately, the same resistance to water, heat and oil that
lead to the use of PFAS in industrial applications and commercial
products, also makes them slow to naturally biodegrade and
difficult to remove from environmental media using the technologies
traditionally used to remediate
