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PFAS: The Forever Chemicals in Almost Everyone's Blood

What PFAS are, what the manufacturers knew, and the first national drinking-water limits.

Quick answer

What are PFAS forever chemicals?

PFAS are a family of thousands of synthetic chemicals used since the 1940s in nonstick cookware, waterproof fabrics, firefighting foam and food packaging. They barely break down, so they build up in the environment and the body, which is why they are called forever chemicals. National testing by the CDC has found PFAS in the blood of nearly all Americans, and in 2024 the EPA set the first national drinking-water limits for PFAS, including PFOA and PFOS.

Timeline

  1. 1940sPFAS chemistry is developed. Products such as Teflon and Scotchgard follow.
  2. 1960s to 1970sManufacturers' internal studies find health effects in animals and PFAS in workers' blood. These were not made public at the time.
  3. 1998 to 2001Litigation in Parkersburg, West Virginia, brings DuPont's internal records into public view.
  4. 2005DuPont settles with the EPA over failing to report risks of the chemical PFOA, for $16.5 million.
  5. April 2024The EPA sets the first national drinking-water limits for PFAS, including PFOA and PFOS.

What is documented, and what is not

On the record

  • PFAS are found in the blood of most people tested in the US.
  • Manufacturers had internal data on health effects decades before the public did.
  • In 2024 the EPA set enforceable drinking-water limits for PFOA and PFOS, the two most studied PFAS.

Disputed or unproven

  • The health risks of the many different PFAS chemicals vary, and research on low-level exposure is still developing.
  • Federal limits for some other PFAS have been revisited since 2024, so check the EPA for the current rules.

Common questions

Why are PFAS called forever chemicals?

Their carbon-fluorine bonds are among the strongest in chemistry, so they take an extremely long time to break down.

Are PFAS in my blood?

Very likely. CDC national surveys have found PFAS in the blood of nearly all people tested.

How can I reduce PFAS exposure?

Check your local water utility's reports, consider a certified water filter, and limit products made with PFAS where you can. The EPA publishes guidance.

Read the record yourself

Links go to official archives, museums, agencies and published research. Search links open the archive's own search for this topic.

THE FICTION BUILT ON THIS RECORD · FILE 035 · VOLUME VIt's in Your Blood Right Now. The Company Knew in 1961.The money runs out. The chemical does not.Read the first pages free →

Last reviewed 2026-10-13. This page covers the public record only. Archive files are dramatized and always marked as files.

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