Health advocates concerned about the health effects of PFAS organized the Fight Forever Chemicals campaign to spread awareness about the widespread public health issue. The campaign was launched to coincide with the release of a new film titled ‘Dark Waters,’ which highlights the health risks of PFAS.
Mark Ruffalo plays the role of a corporate defense attorney that takes on an environmental lawsuit against a chemical company with a history of pollution. The film is inspired by the true story of Robert Bilott, a lawyer that brings a lawsuit against DuPont, a chemical company that was found to be dumping chemical waste into West Virginian waters for over 40 years and concealing evidence of the unregulated chemicals. The film follows the case that Bilott makes against the DuPont PFAS production facility and his attempt to bring justice to the residents exposed to the chemicals.
The film emphasizes the necessity to control PFAS and the urgency to bring awareness to those exposed to the contaminants. Certain types of PFAS are listed as contributors to cancer, immune deficiencies, and reproductive issues, among other health risks. Ruffalo and Bilott spoke at Capitol Hill to describe the prevalence of PFAS and the crisis impacting citizens across the U.S. Bilott and the Fight Forever Chemicals Campaign will continue to spread this message at talks given in North Carolina, Colorado, Vermont and Michigan. Ruffalo states, “It’s time for a kind of revolution in our thinking and our policy.”
