The State of PFAS (Forever Chemicals) in America 2024

The document examines the prevalence of perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), known as "forever chemicals," in the U.S. environment and population. It details the health risks, including cancer and immune suppression, and outlines the regulatory response led by the EPA's 2021 Strategic Roadmap and the 2024 National Primary Drinking Water Regulation. The brief also covers state-level phase-outs, legislative efforts in the 118th Congress, and technical challenges in remediating PFAS from water and soil.

• PFAS contamination is widespread in the U.S., with the U.S. Geological Survey estimating that at least 45% of U.S. tap water contains these chemicals. Furthermore, studies indicate that at least 97% of tested Americans had PFAS compounds in their body fluids.
• PFAS exposure is linked to severe health issues, including kidney cancer, testicular cancer, and renal cell carcinoma. Other effects include immune response suppression, endocrine disruption—particularly thyroid hormone disruption in women—and complications such as obesity, diabetes, and impaired lung function in asthmatic children.
• The EPA has implemented several significant regulatory actions, most notably the April 2024 National Primary Drinking Water Regulation (NPDWR), which establishes maximum contaminant levels for six PFAS: PFOA, PFOS, GenX, PFNA, PFHxS, and PFBS. Public water systems must comply with these standards by 2029.
• Military sites are major sources of contamination due to the use of Aqueous Film-Forming Foam (AFFF). In 2014, 664 U.S. military training sites were identified as likely contaminated, though a Department of Defense interim rule since October 2023 prohibits procurement of AFFF containing more than one part per billion of PFAS, unless an exception is granted.
• State-level responses vary, with 28 states enacting policies to mitigate PFAS harms and 15 states imposing regulations on PFAS in specific products. Maine, Minnesota, and Washington have committed to phasing out PFAS in all products.
• Remediation of PFAS is costly and technically challenging. In Minnesota, the highest-ranked treatments for liquid waste streams are estimated to cost the state at least $14 billion, while water resource recovery facility biosolids would cost at least $105 million.
• Soil remediation through "soil washing" has shown the ability to remove between 70% and 90% of PFAS, potentially allowing the soil to be repurposed.

APA

Brind’Amour, M. (2024). The State of PFAS (Forever Chemicals) in America 2024. Environmental and Energy Study Institute. https://www.eesi.org/papers/view/issue-brief-the-state-of-pfas-forever-chemicals-in-america-2024

Chicago

Brind’Amour, Molly. The State of PFAS (Forever Chemicals) in America 2024. Environmental and Energy Study Institute, 2024. https://www.eesi.org/papers/view/issue-brief-the-state-of-pfas-forever-chemicals-in-america-2024.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Brind’Amour |first1=Molly |title=The State of PFAS (Forever Chemicals) in America 2024 |publisher=Environmental and Energy Study Institute |date=6 September 2024 |url=https://www.eesi.org/papers/view/issue-brief-the-state-of-pfas-forever-chemicals-in-america-2024 |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{brindamour2024state, author = {Brind’Amour, Molly}, title = {{The State of PFAS (Forever Chemicals) in America 2024}}, institution = {Environmental and Energy Study Institute}, year = {2024}, month = sep, url = {https://www.eesi.org/papers/view/issue-brief-the-state-of-pfas-forever-chemicals-in-america-2024}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }