• PFAS can be present in our water, soil, air, and food as well as in materials found in our homes or workplaces, including:

• Drinking water – in public drinking water systems and private drinking water wells.

• Soil and water at or near waste sites - at landfills, disposal sites, and hazardous waste sites such as those that fall under the federal Superfund and Resource Conservation and Recovery Act programs.

• Fire extinguishing foam - in aqueous film-forming foams (or AFFFs) used to extinguish flammable liquid-based fires. Such foams are used in training and emergency response events at airports, shipyards, military bases, firefighting training facilities, chemical plants, and refineries.

• Manufacturing or chemical production facilities that produce or use PFAS – for example at chrome plating, electronics, and certain textile and paper manufacturers.

• Food – for example in fish caught from water contaminated by PFAS and dairy products from livestock exposed to PFAS.

• Food packaging – for example in grease-resistant paper, fast food containers/wrappers, microwave popcorn bags, pizza boxes, and candy wrappers.

• Household products and dust – for example in stain and water-repellent used on carpets, upholstery, clothing, and other fabrics; cleaning products; nonstick cookware; paints, varnishes, and sealants.

• Personal care products – for example in certain shampoo, dental floss, and cosmetics.

• Biosolids – for example fertilizer from wastewater treatment plants that it is used on agricultural lands can affect ground and surface water and animals that graze on the land.

PFAS Possible Health Defects

• Reproductive effects such as decreased fertility or increased high blood pressure in pregnant women.

• Developmental effects or delays in children, including low birth weight, accelerated puberty, bone variations, or behavioral changes.

• Increased risk of some cancers, including prostate, kidney, and testicular cancers.

• Reduced ability of the body’s immune system to fight infections, including reduced vaccine response.

• Interference with the body’s natural hormones.

• Increased cholesterol levels and/or risk of obesity.

SOURCE: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency