PFAS: What Is It and Why Should You Care?

Recent Wisconsin headlines have focused on efforts to regulate PFAS chemicals. In the coming months and years, both government entities, as well as manufacturers and other industrial users, will be forced to navigate what will likely be a complex bureaucratic maze. What follows is a primer that attempts to answer several questions – what exactly are PFAS compounds, why is there urgency to address PFAS contamination, and what does the regulatory framework look like?

What Are/Is PFAS?

Perfluoroalkyl and Polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are a group of several thousand human-made chemicals that have been in use since the 1940s.¹ PFAS create a grease-, water-, or stain-resistant barrier when applied to a product. They are most commonly found in paints and fire-fighting foams, carpets and upholstery, food packaging, cookware, and cleaning products. While PFAS have been phased out of production in the United States over the past two decades, they still enter the U.S. through imported goods....