Contamination of both the general environment and the human population from chemicals has long been a deep concern and for the most part, the issue has been one that can be controlled with the ''its-not-too-late" ethos. For this issue however, that ethos cannot apply.

The US Centers for Disease Control (CDC) provides the basic understanding of the scale of the problem that is now an irreversible contamination of world-wide significance. 

The CDC states " The per-and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are a group of chemicals used ot make fluoropolymer coatings and products that resist heat, oil, stains, grease and water. Fluoropolymer coatings can be in a variery of products. These include clothing, furniture, adhesives, food packaging, heat-resistant non-stick cooking surfaces, and the insulation of electrical wire. Many PFAS, including  perfluorooctanoic sulfonic acid  (PFOS) and perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), are a concern  because they:

• do not break down in the environment
• can move through soils and contaminate drinking water
• build up (bioaccumulate) in fish and wildlife