How do you solve a problem like PFAS?
They’re in firefighting foam, non-stick pans, cosmetics, clothes and packaging – and they keep your phone clear of fingerprints. Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) were once hailed as wonder materials, but these compounds also have a dark side that’s earned them the nickname “forever chemicals”. The attributes that made them so attractive also makes them hard to clean up. They get into our drinking water, our food, and even into our blood. They don’t degrade. And some are carcinogenic.
In the United States, a landmark settlement will see 3M, one of the largest makers of PFAS chemicals, pay A$16 billion to clean up waterways. But in Australia, so far the public has footed the bill for the cleanup of polluted defense bases and firefighting training grounds.
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