What are PFAS?

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PFAS were originally developed to help extinguish large petroleum fires. Now, they have many more applications, but are also polluting the environment.
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▼ Perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances, or PFAS, are synthetic chemicals found in many products, including food packaging, household cleaners and nonstick cookware, according to the U. S.  Environmental Protection Agency(EPA).
It's an acronym you may have seen or heard of in recent years as studies on these very common chemicals have revealed their potentially negative health effectsfor humans and the environment. That's primarily because certain types of PFAS, such as perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS), don't break down in the environment or in the human body, and that may cause problems.
History of PFAS
The first PFAS were invented in the 1930s and were the main ingredients in nonstick and waterproof coatings, according to the Interstate Technology & Regulatory Council(ITRC).
Development of these chemicals increased in the late 1960s after a deadly fire aboard a U.S. Navy aircraft carrier, the USS Forrestal, in 1967. The fire resulted from the accidental launch of a rocket into armed planes and loaded fuel tanks. This blaze nearly destroyed the ship and killed more than 130 people.
Soon after the tragic incident, manufacturers and scientists developed PFAS-containing aqueous film-forming foam (AFFF) — a foam mixture that rapidly extinguishes fire. The PFAS allow the mixture to spread, making it highly effective against petroleum fires and other flammable-liquid fires when mixed with water. PFAS-containing AFFF was subsequently installed on military and civilian ships, airplanes and airports.
Today, more than 3,000 synthetic chemicals are classified as PFAS. They have wide-ranging applications, such as in grease-resistant microwave-popcorn bags, carpets that resist stains, and pipes and wires that resist corrosion.
PFAS are a broad group of chemicals with numerous different properties and applications. Chemicals within the group are categorized by their chemical and physical  properties, but calling them all PFAS has caused confusion in the scientific community and for the general public. For example, stating that PFAS can cause cancer is misleading, because only a very small handful of the thousands of PFAS have been linked with the development of cancer.
What are the concerns about PFAS? (▪ ▪ ▪)

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