PFAS are per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, a group of chemicals used to make consumer products heat, water or stain resistant. Their chemical name is a mouthful, but their nickname, “forever chemicals,” reveals alarming truths scientists now understand about PFAS: They last in the environment for a long time and are difficult to destroy. They can bioaccumulate (build up in the body), and are increasingly found in the blood of people and animals, human urine, and water, air, soil and fish around the globe. Scientists have linked PFAS exposure to multiple effects on human health. While more study is needed, the Environmental Protection Agency recently proposed regulation of six PFAS chemicals in drinking water. See how PFAS get into our environment, how they impact our health and what you can do about it.