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PFAS: The Forever Chemicals
Investigating the hidden toxins that impact our health and environment.
"I grew up on base where the jets would roar, my daughter plays where I used to before... but now I'm scared of what can't be seen or found."
I wrote this song about the PFAS crisis. Listen to "Something Icky" to hear a testimony set to music.
What Are PFAS?
PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances) are a large group of man-made chemicals that have been used in industry and consumer products since the 1940s. They are known as "forever chemicals" because they break down very slowly over time. Their defining feature is the carbon-fluorine bond, one of the strongest chemical bonds, which gives them properties like resistance to grease, oil, water, and heat.
Where Are They Found?
PFAS are widespread and can be found in the blood of people and animals all over the world. Key sources include:
- Drinking Water: Contamination can occur from facilities that make or use PFAS, or from places like airfields that used PFAS-containing firefighting foams.
- Food: Food can be contaminated through packaging containing PFAS, or from produce grown in PFAS-contaminated soil or water.
- Consumer Products: They are found in non-stick cookware, stain and water-repellent fabrics, and some cosmetics.
Potential Health Effects
Scientific studies have shown that exposure to certain levels of PFAS may be linked to serious health effects. These include:
- Reproductive effects such as decreased fertility or increased high blood pressure in pregnant women.
- Developmental effects or delays in children.
- Increased risk of some cancers, including prostate, kidney, and testicular cancers.
- Reduced ability of the body's immune system to fight infections.
- Interference with the body's natural hormones.
- Increased cholesterol levels and/or risk of obesity.
A Personal Testimony: The Willow Grove Legacy
A Family's Fight
My family's story is a direct reflection of the EPA's data. My father-in-law, exposed at Willow Grove, has service-linked colorectal cancer. My wife, who also spent time on the base, suffered from severe preeclampsia. Our daughter, from that same high-risk pregnancy, is autistic. This is not a coincidence; it is a clear pattern of multi-generational harm directly linked to a specific site of contamination.
The Amputee's Insight: A Theory on the Mechanism
My own health battles have led me to a hypothesis. As a long-term user of NSAIDs and Tylenol for pain, I've suppressed my body's natural inflammatory response. I believe this lack of inflammation—the body's primary defense and signaling system—may prevent it from properly identifying and fighting off the damage caused by toxins like PFAS, potentially allowing related health issues to develop unchecked.
What Is Being Done?
The EPA is taking action to address PFAS contamination through a strategic roadmap. This includes efforts to restrict PFAS from entering the environment, hold polluters accountable, and invest in research. In April 2024, the EPA announced the first-ever national, legally enforceable drinking water standard for PFAS, which will require public water systems to monitor for these chemicals and take action if levels are too high.
Our Mission
Understanding the impact of environmental toxins like PFAS is central to the mission of Ability Forge. Our health stories do not happen in a vacuum. They are deeply connected to the environment we live in and the systemic failures that allow these "forever chemicals" to persist. Here, we connect the dots between data and lived experience, advocating for a world where our health is no longer compromised by hidden variables.
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