'They are literally everywhere': The shocking story of how forever chemicals polluted the world

Live Science spoke with Mariah Blake, an investigative journalist and author of the book "They Poisoned The World," about one of the greatest corporate scandals in history.

The many carbon-fluorine bonds in these chemicals, consisting of an alkyl chain connected to multiple fluorine atoms, are considered the strongest in organic chemistry.

This makes them remarkably resistant to heat, water, and chemical corrosion, giving them applications in everything from nonstick cookware to firefighting foam, medical devices and waterproof clothing. In fact, their first major application after their invention was in separating weapons-grade uranium isotopes from corrosive gas for the Manhattan Project, assisting in the creation of the first atomic bomb.

But as Blake recounts in her book "They Poisoned the World" (Penguin Random House, 2025), PFAS bonds are "proteinophilic", causing them to strongly bind with proteins in the organs and blood, persisting there for years. Outside of our bodies, the chemicals have biological half lives that can span centuries. Eight decades since their invention, they are now in the bodies of nearly every human being on the planet — accumulating in our bloodstreams, livers, kidneys and lungs.

They're extremely resistant to heat, stains, water and grease. They stand up to corrosive chemicals that burn through almost every other substance. They helped usher in air and space travel and high-speed computing. They have given rise to lifesaving medical devices — things like patches for deteriorating veins and arteries. They've transformed thousands of everyday items — everything from dental floss and clothing to kitty litter and makeup. They are in all of our homes and in all of our blood.

They also happen to be, in my opinion, the most insidious pollutants in all of human history.

And I think in response to the unique threat they pose, you actually do have some government agencies beginning to regulate them as a class. A lot of the U.S. states that have bans have banned the entire class of chemicals, and they include exceptions for uses that are essential to the health, functioning and safety of society, and for which there are no substitutes available. But otherwise they are banned. End of story.

The EU ban is supposed to be a class-wide ban. There are lobbyists in Brussels right now fighting to insert loopholes into it, but I think Europe has a historic opportunity right now, because a strong PFAS ban in Europe would move us a lot closer to turning off the tap on these chemicals. Regulating them as a class is the only solution.

Cover photo:  The Washington Works DuPont plant in Parkersburg, West Viriginia. The plant has an infamous entry in the history of PFAS litigation, having discharged enormous volumes of dangerous forever chemicals into the surrounding waters. (Image credit: Maddie McGarvey via Getty Images)