The State We're In

Apr 3, 2026

By Alison Mitchell, Executive Director, New Jersey Conservation Foundation

Some chemicals are forever. The presence of PFAS – per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances – in the environment first sparked concern in New Jersey when they were detected in our state’s waters two decades ago. They have now been detected in hundreds of water systems statewide.

PFAS are a large family of thousands of manmade chemicals that have been widely used in industrial and commercial applications. They repel water and oil and resist heat and chemical reactions, qualities that have made them highly persistent in the environment.

The Garden State, long a hub of industry and innovation, has taken some important steps to confront its legacy of chemical pollution, often moving ahead of federal standards to protect public health. But the nature and extensive use of PFAS presents a major challenge.

While scientific evidence increasingly supports the effects of PFAS on human health – including cancer, immune system suppression, hormonal disruption, and developmental issues such as birth defects – scientists are only beginning to understand the impacts on wildlife and ecosystems. This is alarming given that we face a biodiversity crisis in which about half of the world’s species are in decline and already threatened by numerous other stressors.

These chemicals don’t stay in one place, and they linger for long periods of time, earning them the nickname “forever chemicals.” They fall in raindrops, flow through rivers, and move with soil and sediment, spreading contamination across the state – and the globe. A landmark 2023 study mapped their presence worldwide, detecting PFAS from the North Pole to Antarctica and everywhere in between. Today, more than 6,000 PFAS compounds are in commercial use, found in products ranging from food packaging and clothing to furniture, electronics, and firefighting foams. (click here to see map: https://www.ewg.org/interactive-maps/pfas_in_wildlife/map/)

Growing alarm helped push the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)to act more decisively. The federal agency issued a Strategic Roadmap to coordinate regulation and hold polluters accountable, and in 2024 took major steps by classifying key PFAS chemicals, PFOA and PFOS, as hazardous under the Superfund law and setting the first nationwide, enforceable drinking water limits – standards even tougher than those in New Jersey.

Now, the Trump administration is pulling back. The EPA said it will delay enforcement of drinking water limits for PFOA and PFOS until 2031. The agency also approved PFAS for use on crops like romaine lettuce, broccoli, and potatoes. And it plans to rescind and reconsider limits on four additional PFAS chemicals.

These rollbacks come as a March 2026 study found toxic PFAS residues on 37 percent of California produce, with peaches, strawberries, and grapes almost always contaminated with “forever chemicals.”

There had been signs of hope. In his final days in office, Governor Phil Murphy signed the Protecting Against Forever Chemicals Act, which establishes requirements, prohibitions, and programs for regulation PFAS. The Act cements new requirements for food packaging and cosmetic products, requires greater transparency in the labeling of cookware products containing PFAS, establishes a source reduction program, and appropriates funds for research. This March, New Jersey’s Senate Environment and Energy Committee advanced legislation that would ban the intentional addition of PFAS to most types of clothing.

This adds to a 2024 State law establishing a collection and disposal program for PFAS-containing firefighting foams. Authored by Senator Troy Singleton, the initiative bans the use and storage of these foams after January 1, 2027. Collected foam will be transported to a treatment facility where PFAS compounds are destroyed safely.

What can the public do? To limit exposure, avoid non-stick pans, skip unnecessary stain- or water-resistant items, steer clear of greaseproof food packaging, and research everyday products you use to see if they contain PFAS and look for alternatives.

And let your elected officials know that you are concerned about PFAS exposure in your drinking water and larger environment.

The scale and persistence of PFAS contamination demands strong standards and an unwavering commitment to holding polluters accountable. Federal policy that rolls back protections when the stakes are this high is irresponsible and downright dangerous. What we need instead is faster action – at all levels of government.

To learn more about preserving New Jersey’s land and natural resources, visit the New Jersey Conservation Foundation at www.njconservation.org or contact me at info@njconservation.org.