Forever chemicals: What they are and which products they are in

It's likely you've heard the term "forever chemicals" in recent news, whether it was in relation to a lawsuit alleging their presence in a coveted product, a report exposing their presence in workout apparel or federal officials discussing their contamination of drinking water across the country. 

These man-made chemicals gained the nickname "forever chemicals" given their ability to last in the environment for years, but their proper names are per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances or PFAS. 

They have been used in many consumer products since about the 1950s, according to the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences.

According to the Green Science Policy Institute, the chemical has strong carbon-fluorine bonds that give it useful chemical properties for making products oil-, stain-, and water-repellent, or non-stick, which is why they are mostly used in products to repel stains and water.

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"Once we contaminate soil or water or other parts of the environment with them, they tend to just linger because they don't break down easily, with sunlight or with the natural environment," Scott Bartell, a professor of environmental and occupational health at University of California Irvine, told FOX Business. Bartell said they could last for hundreds and hundreds of years once they are out in the environment. 

The issue is that this chemical has been linked to deadly cancers, impacts on the liver and heart, and immune and developmental damage to infants and children, according to the Biden administration. 

What products are affected? 

A study published in the journal Nature Geoscience in early April found that higher amounts of PFAS were found in drinking water in certain parts of the U.S.

These chemicals have been in the environment for decades, long before officials started to investigate and worry about the health effects on people, according to Bartell. 

It was not until the last few years that there were sweeping regulations addressing this problem, Bartell said, referring to the government's recent limits on drinking water. 

Many of these industrial chemicals were produced prior to any federal regulatory regimes around them and most were grandfathered in, he said. Today, there is a system in place where regulatory agencies have to demonstrate that they're actually harmful before they can regulate them. 

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According to Bartell, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has been aware that this has been a problem for at least a decade and has been spending a lot of its time developing assessments and the scientific basis for setting regulations.

FOX Business reached out to the EPA for comment.

According to the Wisconsin Department of Health Services, the chemical is found in water-resistant fabrics, such as rain jackets, umbrellas and tents. It is also in clearing products, grease-resistant paper, nonstick cookware, stain-resistant coatings used on fabrics, carpets and upholstery.

Additionally, the chemical can be found in personal care products, like shampoo, dental floss, nail polish and eye makeup, according to the health department.

The Operational Services Division (OSD) of the Massachusetts government published a separate report revealing that the chemical can also be found in certain carpet and flooring products and warned consumers to be wary of floor products that claim to be waterproof. 

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Certain hand soaps can also be affected, the OSD said.

In 2022, an investigation by the Environmental Health News and wellness blog "Mamavation" found the chemical in women’s yoga pants from popular brands after testing over 30 pieces of activewear, mostly workout leggings and yoga pants, for total fluorine.