[Opinion] We’re facing a ‘forever chemicals’ crisis. We must stop PFAS at the source

By Mark Ruffalo | The Guardian | March 10, 2025

Read the full article by Mark Ruffalo (The Guardian)

"Several years ago, I made a movie called Dark Waters, which told the real-life story of a community in West Virginia poisoned by Pfas “forever chemicals”. DuPont – a chemical manufacturing plant – contaminated the local water supply, killing cows and wildlife, making its workers sick and exposing local residents to toxic chemicals. It was an environmental horror story.

It’s still happening across the country.

Pfas, or per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, aren’t just lingering in that community – they’re everywhere. In our air, soil, water and bodies. They’re called “forever chemicals” for a reason: they don’t break down, and once they’re in our bodies, they’re almost impossible to get rid of.

We now know that repeated ingestion of and exposure to Pfas have been linked to cancer, birth defects, developmental and reproductive disorders and weakened immune systems. Studies show they can cause kidney and testicular cancer in adults and interfere with childhood growth and behavior."