PFAS have heavily contaminated our environment on a global scale, even reaching Arctic regions and isolated North Atlantic islands.¹Li, Fan et al. “Short-chain per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances in aquatic systems: Occurrence, impacts and treatment.” Chemical Engineering Journal. Vol. 380. January 2020 at 4; They are found in soils,²Washington, John W. et al. “Nontargeted mass-spectral detection of chloroperfluoropolyether carboxylates in New Jersey soils.” Science. Vol. 368. June 2020 at 1 and 2. in groundwater,³McMahon, Peter B. et al. “Perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances in groundwater used as a source of drinking water in the eastern United States.” Environmental Science & Technology. Vol. 56. February 2022 at abstract. in air emissions from PFAS-producing plants,⁴D’Ambro, Emma L. et al. “Characterizing the air emissions, transport, and deposition of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances from a fluoropolymer manufacturing facility.” Environmental Science & Technology. Vol. 55. January 2021 at abstract. and even in rainwater.⁵Gewurtz, Sara B. et al. “Perfluoroalkyl acids in Great Lakes precipitation and surface water (2006-2018) indicate response to phase-outs, regulatory action, and variability in fate transport processes.” Environmental Sciences & Technology. Vol. 53. June 2019 at abstract.

In the U.S., an estimated 45 percent of drinking water is contaminated with PFAS,⁶Smalling, Kelly L. et al. “Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in United States tapwater: Comparison of underserved private-well and public supply exposures and associated health implications.” Environment International. Vol. 178. August 2023 at abstract. and in New Jersey, over 70 percent of public water supplies have PFAS levels above the EPA’s health advisory limits.⁷Domingo, José and Martí Nadal. “Human exposure to per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) through drinking water: A review to recent scientific literature.” Environmental Research. Vol. 177. October 2019 at 5; 87 Fed. Reg. 36848. June 21, 2022; EPA “Converting Laboratory Units Into Consumer Confidence Report Units.” EPA 816-F-15-001. July 2015 at 2. Elevated PFAS contamination in drinking water is linked to three main exposures: 1) PFAS industrial facilities, 2) PFAS disposal sites and landfills, and 3) PFAS firefighting foam discharge sites such as military bases and major airports.⁸Salvatore, Derrick et al. “Presumptive contamination: A new approach to PFAS contamination based on likely sources.” Environmental Science Technology Letters. Vol. 9. October 2022 at abstract and 984 to 985. Bottled water may not prove to be a solution to avoiding PFAS in drinking water, since most bottled water contains tap water and several brands have been found to contain PFAS.⁹Lazarus, David. “Column: You do know that, in most cases, bottled water is just tap water?” Los Angeles Times. September 28, 2021; Felton, Ryan. “New study finds PFAS in bottled water, as lawmakers call for federal limits.” Consumer Reports. June 17, 2021; Chow, Steven J. et al. “Detection of ultrashort-chain and other per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in U.S. bottled water.” Water Research. Vol. 201. August 2021 at abstract.

Plants can uptake PFAS from the soil and water and thereby contaminate the food chain. PFAS have been detected in corn, lettuce, tomatoes, and strawberries.¹⁰Costello, M. Christina Schilling and Linda S. Lee. “Sources, fate, and plant uptake in agricultural systems of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances.” Current Pollution Reports. Vol. 6. 2020 at 7 to 11 and 15. Livestock can also uptake PFAS primarily through drinking water and grazing as well as PFAS-contaminated feed.¹¹Mikkonen, Antti T. et al. “Spatio-temporal trends in livestock exposure to per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) inform risk assessment and management measures.” Environmental Research. Vol. 225. May 2023 at 2, 7, and 9. Since PFAS can gradually accumulate over time, the consumption of fish, meat, and dairy is correlated with higher blood levels of PFAS.¹²Guckert, Marc et al. “Differences in the internal PFAS patterns of herbivores, omnivores and carnivores — lessons learned from target screening and the total oxidizable precursor assay.” Science of the Total Environment. Vol. 875. June 2023 at abstract; Menzel, Juliane et al. “Internal exposure to perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in vegans and omnivores.” International Journal of Hygiene and Environmental Health. Vol. 237. August 2021 at abstract; Eick, Stephanie et al. “Dietary predictors of prenatal per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances exposure.” Journal of Exposure Science & Environmental Epidemiology. Vol. 33. October 2023 at 1, 34, and 36. One study of freshwater fish caught in the U.S. found that eating a single serving could be equivalent to drinking PFAS-contaminated water for a whole month.¹³Barbo, Nadia et al. “Locally caught freshwater fish across the United States are likely a significant source of exposure to PFOS and other perfluorinated compounds.” Environmental Research. Vol. 220. March 2023 at 5. If food items are not already contaminated with PFAS, the packaging they are enclosed in can finish the job, with elevated risks for persons whose diets are centered around processed foods and takeout.¹⁴Seshasayaee, Shravanthi M. et al. “Dietary patterns and PFAS plasma concentrations in childhood: Project Viva, USA.” Environment International. Vol. 151. June 2021 at 4 to 6; Loria, Kevin. “Dangerous PFAS chemicals are in your food packaging.” Consumer Reports. March 24, 2022.

PFAS contamination in food is linked to the use of sewage sludge (biosolids) from local wastewater treatment plants, irrigation with recycled wastewater, and pesticides that contain PFAS.¹⁵Panieri, Emiliano et al. “PFAS molecules: A major concern for human health and the environment.” Toxics. Vol. 10, Iss. 2. January 2022 at 5 and 7. Not only are farm workers faced with new discoveries of PFAS in their bodies,¹⁶Ingelido, Anna Maria et al. “Serum concentrations of perfluorinated alkyl substances in farmers living in areas affected by water contamination in the Veneto Region (Northern Italy).” Environment International. Vol. 136. March 2020 at abstract. but PFAS levels in dairy products have even surpassed the EPA’s proposed maximum contaminant level (MCL) for drinking water — by 355 times, for one small-scale Maine dairy farm.¹⁷EPA. [Fact sheet]. “Proposed PFAS National Primary Drinking Water Regulation Frequently Asked Questions and Answers.” March 2023 at 3; Valdmanis, Richard and Joshua Schneyer. “The curious case of tainted milk from a Maine dairy farm.” Reuters. March 19, 2019. The farm’s shutdown, alongside other cases of dairy and meat contamination in states like New Mexico, illustrate the danger of PFAS to our food system.¹⁸Linn, Amy. “’This has poisoned everything’ — pollution casts shadow over New Mexico’s booming dairy industry.” Guardian. February 20, 2019.