PFAS — FOREVER CHEMICALS

The Chemical That Will Outlive Every Human Being Alive Today.

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) — a family of over 10,000 synthetic fluorinated compounds — are now detectable in 99% of human blood samples globally, including cord blood, breast milk, and the blood of Arctic indigenous populations who have never used consumer products containing them. PFAS contaminate UK drinking water, rain, soil, seafood, food packaging, non-stick cookware, waterproof clothing, stain-resistant fabrics, fire-fighting foam, cosmetics, and dental floss. They are called 'forever chemicals' because the carbon-fluorine bond — the strongest bond in organic chemistry — does not biodegrade in nature or in the human body. In tissue, PFAS accumulate in the liver, thyroid, kidneys, and immune cells, disrupting hormone signalling, suppressing vaccine immune responses, increasing cancer risk, and impairing foetal development at concentrations orders of magnitude below current regulatory limits.