Explainer: Forever Chemicals (PFAS)
In the 1940s, a group of chemicals called PFAS (per- or poly-fluoroalkyl substances if you’re nasty) were invented. Created in a lab, these miracle chemicals are resistant to heat, oil, and water - oh my! The possibilities were endless, and so the development of consumer and industrial products using PFAS exploded over the next 60 years from non-stick pans and water-proof clothing to food packaging and fire-fighting foam. It was a capitalist dream - what could go wrong?