The Cool Down, October 2025.
PFAS, or “forever chemicals,” have contaminated soil and groundwater across the U.S. and worldwide. A global study of these contaminants found them in almost a third of groundwater samples, and another found them with disturbing frequency in human blood.
As if that weren’t bad enough, a new study has identified almost 80,000 new sites that it predicts are likely to be contaminated in the U.S., Technology Networks reported.
What’s happening?
Direct testing has already revealed 2,200 sites in the country that are contaminated with unacceptable levels of PFAS. However, researchers from the PFAS Project Lab at Northeastern University realized that these sites weren’t the only ones that held forever chemicals — they were merely the sites that were most likely to be tested, concentrated in areas such as California, New England, and Michigan, while areas with less stringent controls were neglected.
To determine the actual distribution of pollution by these chemicals, researchers created a model using information about likely sources of contamination. PFAS are used in many industries for their stain-resistant, water-resistant, and flame-retardant properties, so the study focused on sites near qualifying facilities.
