The family of chemicals known as PFAS have been used widely for decades. Now recognized as a risk to environmental and human health, regulators are working to slow the clock.
In 2018, residents in the small town of Blades were told to stop drinking their tap water. Supplied by a municipal well and nearby private wells, the water was found to have elevated levels of PFAS. For weeks residents drank bottled water supplied by the state to minimize the risks to their health.
PFAS are perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances, synthetic chemicals known for their resistance to heat, oil, stains, grease, and water. PFAS are commonly found in products we use every day, such as non-stick cookware, waterproof fabrics, carpets and food packaging. They’re used in many manufacturing processes. And they are the chemicals that make firefighting foams effective.
In short, PFAS are everywhere. Their unique molecular structure makes them tough, so they don’t readily break down in the environment or in our bodies, where they accumulate in the tissues. That’s why they’ve become known as “forever chemicals.”
Wherever they are, they linger, and they can pose serious threats to human health. According to PFAS Solutions in New Castle, extreme cases of long-term exposure can lead to higher cancer risk, ulcerative colitis, and weakened immune systems.
Near Blades, a local chemical maker both manufactured PAFS and used them in its manufacturing processes for decades. As a result, PFAS leached into the groundwater supply, doing inestimable harm. In July 2021, the polluter settled a lawsuit by the state, resulting in a $50 million payment to cover environmental damages and to fund measures to ensure the water is safe for drinking. Soon after, the release site was placed on a federal list of high priority remediations.
PFAS have been found throughout Delaware, so they are prevalent, but exactly how pervasive is still not known.
Where are the PFAS?
Several government agencies are investigating PFAS in Delaware, including the Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control (DNREC), the Delaware Department of Health and Social Services, and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
“When we look at how prevalent it is, the best way to do that truly from a scientific standpoint is to gather data,” says Todd Keyser, director of Waste and Hazardous Substances for DNREC. “Delaware’s work has focused on attempting to find where the highest concentrations are, the potential source areas, and to mitigate where we can have the most effective role. [We want to] stop PFAS at the source and keep people from consuming them.”
At present, state agencies are focused on identifying the origin points of PFAS—mainly through sampling of the water, air, soil—and the processes of dispersion. Sites being investigated include local military bases, some landfills, and former manufacturing sites. Areas with the highest concentration of PFAS provide the greatest opportunity to minimize further dispersion.
“If you have a pipe where a lot of it passes through at a higher concentration before it gets either discharged to a surface water body or sprayed as part of a wastewater irrigation process, that’s where you can effect the change,” Keyser says. “That’s where are we going to make the biggest difference and where could we invest more time, energy, and money to make that change.”
Some PFAS are regulated under the federal Hazardous Substance Cleanup Act. In April 2024, the EPA designated a subset of PFAS as hazardous substances under the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act—known as Superfund—which allows the EPA to investigate and clean up releases. At the same time, the EPA adopted maximum contaminant levels for five PFAS in public drinking water systems.
Public drinking water systems must now tell the public whenever PFAS reach unsafe levels, and starting in 2029, public drinking water systems must comply with all maximum contaminant levels and notify the public of all violations.
Help is Available
Keyser says residents from across the state have contacted him and other state agencies to express health concerns correlated with effects of PFAS contamination. Residents of Little Creek, for example, had been alerted to the possible presence of the PFAS in their town. Instead of waiting for the state to take samples, however, the residents took their own and confirmed the results with DNREC, which were positive.
DNREC provided kitchen sink filtration for residents whose well water was above the EPA’s maximum contaminant level for drinking (four parts per trillion). DNREC also offered to provide residents with deeper wells or a water service line for the area. “Because the funds are there, we’re able to assist the town, and we intend to find a way to pay for the entire mitigation.”
Information about PFAS is still emerging as research and testing continues. “It is very real to say that on almost a weekly basis we learn something new that could be applicable and valuable for us to build our strategy,” Keyser says.
For now, “so much of it is advice we can offer,” Keyser says. “What we’re basically saying is ‘Here’s data. Please make a decision for yourself.’”
Individuals can limit their exposure to PFAS by learning how they’ are used and avoiding products that contain them. Water filtration systems are widely available for home use. Even frequent cleaning and dusting of your help can help. “There’s a chance of PFAS in your home, but if you clean it goes away,” Keyser says. “If you think that you’ve been exposed through new carpeting or anything like that some steps could be taken.”
For Delawareans, the best way to stay up to date with information on PFAS in Delaware is to visit de.gov/pfas.
About the Author: Writer Alexis Dempsey is a recent graduate of the University of Delaware who very much depends on clean water.
Learn more
Center for PFAS Solutions
PFAS in Delaware
PFAS laws and regulations
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PFAS Laws and Regulations | Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) | US EPA