Schaider highlights that PFAS chemicals have been linked to a wide range of health effects, including cancer, low birth weight, thyroid disease, elevated cholesterol and effects on the immune system. Manufacturers have agreed to stop using two forms of PFAS in the U.S. These chemicals take a long time to break down in the environment, which is why they remain a problem now. And Schaider says newer forms of PFAS chemicals are still being used, though some people believe they are safer because they remain in the environment and in our bodies for shorter periods.
An audio version is also available from All Things Considered.
