Mission

This project is aimed at heightening global awareness concerning the health and environmental costs of per- and polyfluorinated alkyl substances (PFAS), and at encouraging countries and industries to phase out all non-essential uses of PFAS and to find safer, non fluorinated alternatives for those uses considered essential.

Purpose

The highly fluorinated chemicals known as per- and polyfluorinated alkyl substances (PFAS) are widely used because of their water- and stain repellent and other useful properties. However their health impacts and extreme persistence in the environment are generating international concern. People are exposed to the PFAS through their presence in drinking water, food, food contact materials, and consumer products such as water-proofed clothing, furniture, and carpets. The widespread industrial use of PFAS, including in aqueous film-forming foams for aviation fires, has led to global community contamination by those substances, including of groundwater used for drinking water. These chemicals do not break down in the natural environment and will accumulate for extremely long periods of time. They will remain a constant source of toxic exposure to humans and other life forms unless the production of use of these substances can be brought under control and a global phase out begun.