August 2018 Bar Bulletin
By Sarah Wightman
and Jeff Kray
Momentum to regulate to minute levels a common contaminant found in water systems throughout the United States is growing quickly at the federal, state, and local levels. Perfluorinated compounds (PFAS) are a generic term for a family of perfluoroalkyl acids, synthetic chemicals that have many useful properties, including fire resistance and oil, stain, grease, and water repellency.1 The two most widely known PFASs are perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and perfluorooctane sulfate (PFOS).
PFAS are, or have been, found in firefighting foams, wire insulation, cleaners, textiles, apparel, carpet, leather, paper and paints....