Forever Chemicals (PFAS): Prevalence, Challenges, and Regulatory Changes

What are Forever Chemicals (PFAS) and their Impacts?

The story of Forever Chemicals (PFAS) has long been a major topic for environmental journalists. Since the 1940s, these substances have been widely used in manufacturing to enhance products' resistance to water, stains, and heat. We find them in many everyday products such as food packaging, non-stick cookware, waterproof outdoor gear, and even liquid-resistant underwear. It is crucial to note that a subclass of these chemicals is involved in the production of electrolytes and binders for lithium-ion batteries, and concerns are growing about their widespread use in the manufacturing of electronic chips, an industry currently experiencing a significant resurgence in the United States.

These substances are technically known as Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS), and are dubbed "forever chemicals" due to their extremely strong molecular bonds that prevent them from degrading easily, even under harsh environmental conditions. This characteristic also means they can remain in the environment for hundreds or even thousands of years, and potentially in the human body for several years. According to a survey by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), which began testing for PFAS in 1999, most U.S. residents already have these substances in their blood. People are exposed through contaminated food and water, or if they live or work near factories that use these materials. Researchers are still trying to understand the full impact of these substances on the human body. Multiple scientific studies have linked exposure to PFAS compounds to a wide range of serious health effects, including kidney, testicular, and prostate cancer, high blood pressure and pre-eclampsia, and elevated cholesterol levels. Other potential health effects include fertility problems and developmental delays in children, liver damage, thyroid disorders, reduced immune response to vaccines, and even increased risk of asthma. (Information sourced from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Public Health (VA)).

Initial Regulations and Corporate Responses

A wave of lawsuits has prompted some companies to take action regarding their pollution. Companies like 3M (manufacturer of Scotchgard) and Dupont (which made Teflon) have pledged to reduce or phase out the use of these chemicals. According to the CDC, levels of two of the most prevalent forms of PFAS in Americans' blood have decreased by 70 and 85 percent with reduced production and use over the past two decades. Last year, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) also set final limits for five of the most common types of forever chemicals in drinking water.

Regulatory Shifts Under the Trump Administration and the Chip Industry

But it's not that simple. In fact, there are thousands of different types of forever chemicals, and new health concerns have emerged with chemicals intended to replace the more well-known PFAS types. With the new Trump administration, deregulation may become the EPA's favorite word. In May, the agency proposed rolling back PFAS drinking water standards and plans to extend compliance deadlines for two PFAS types while rescinding existing regulations for the remaining three.

All of this is happening as President Donald Trump follows in former President Joe Biden's footsteps in an attempt to localize the electronic chip industry, following a global semiconductor shortage that affected all types of industries from toys to cars. Artificial intelligence, which relies on more advanced chips, has further increased the importance of this issue.

Chemours: Industry Opportunities and Environmental Challenges

Manufacturers of forever chemicals see a ripe opportunity. Chemours (a spinoff of Dupont), for example, states on its website that its role is "indispensable" in driving the creation of a domestic semiconductor supply chain. The company manufactures Teflon, which is used in chip manufacturing due to its resistance to heat and corrosion. Chemours is also developing fluids that can be used to cool servers in data centers in a process called two-phase immersion, which typically involves PFAS.

Chemours has already laid out plans to expand its facilities in Fayetteville, North Carolina, and Parkersburg, West Virginia, to support its ambitions. This has undoubtedly raised red flags among health and environmental activists, given Chemours' extensive record of PFAS contamination issues. In 2019, the Fayetteville facility was found responsible for contaminating water supply wells and was placed under a consent order to limit pollution. In March, North Carolina regulators required Chemours to expand well testing near the Fayetteville facility to include an additional 150,000 homes at risk of potential PFAS contamination. In August, a federal judge ordered Chemours to stop releasing illegal quantities of forever chemicals into the Ohio River in West Virginia.

Chemours is not alone under scrutiny. Concerns have been raised about new semiconductor manufacturing facilities in the United States, including the chemicals they use and the risks they may pose to workers and nearby residents. The Semiconductor Industry Association has already formed a PFAS Consortium – joined by Chemours and Dupont – because PFAS regulation "appears likely to disrupt the semiconductor manufacturing supply chain and require a comprehensive supply chain approach to address it," according to a July 2024 Q&A document.

Future Regulatory Landscape and Outlook

Now, however, the industry operates in a more chemical-friendly regulatory environment under the Trump administration. Trump's AI action plan aims to accelerate data center development partly by fast-tracking approvals and reducing environmental reviews for semiconductor facilities and related "materials." In July, the president granted "some chemical manufacturers producing semiconductor-related chemicals" two-year exemptions from pollution regulations that were in effect under Biden. A former chemical industry lawyer, now holding a senior position at the EPA, has worked to repeal another Biden-era rule that held companies responsible for cleaning up PFAS pollution they caused, as reported by The New York Times.

Caroline Hollran, EPA press secretary, stated in an email to The Verge that the EPA still "holds polluters accountable" and that "no decisions have been made" regarding the proposed rule change mentioned by The New York Times. Jess Loiseau, a spokesperson for Chemours, stated in an email to The Verge that Chemours is investing in "advanced emissions control technologies" at manufacturing sites to reduce chemical releases.

The EPA still needs to finalize rule changes and is likely to face legal battles as it attempts to roll back water and air protections. It has taken a long time to begin controlling the PFAS problem, and it appears the chemicals will persist even longer with the Trump administration prioritizing deregulation and continued demand for electronic chips.

Additional Facts About PFAS

• Difficulty in Cleanup: Forever chemicals are difficult to clean up due to the challenge of destroying them. They can even remain in the air after incineration. Their molecular strength comes from carbon-fluorine bonds, which may require temperatures exceeding 700°C (1292°F) to break.
• Military Base Contamination: PFAS-containing firefighting foams have contaminated military bases across the United States, endangering service members even when stationed at home.
• Legal Settlements: Chemours, Dupont, and another company called Corteva reached an $875 million settlement with the state of New Jersey in August regarding contamination, including PFAS.
• Disproportionate Impact: Researchers from Harvard University found that PFAS chemicals disproportionately contaminate predominantly Black and Latino neighborhoods, as reported by The Verge.
• Silicon Valley's History: Silicon Valley has a long history of exposing workers to toxic chemicals in semiconductor plants.
• Farmers' Nightmare: PFAS in wastewater sludge has become a nightmare for farmers, as The New York Times reported in another distressing story.