PFAS chemicals have been in use since the 1940s. Twelve chemical companies are responsible for the majority of the global PFAS production: AGC, Arkema, Chemours, Daikin, 3M, Solvay, Dongyue, Archroma, Merck, Bayer, BASF and Honeywell. The global societal costs – remediation, health care etc. – of PFAS chemicals amount to $17.5 trillion per year. Dupont and 3M are the largest manufacturers. These companies had preliminary evidence of PFAS toxicity as early as the 1960s and knew broadly about the dangers the chemicals pose by 1970. See the EWG Timelines of what companies knew and when they knew it here.

According to the EWG, there are at least 41,828 industrial and municipal sites that are known to produce or use, are suspected of using, or are a suspected source of the toxic fluorinated chemicals known as PFAS. The sites were identified through the Environmental Protection Agency’s Chemical Data Reporting Rule database, the EPA’s Enforcement and Compliance History Online database and Federal Aviation Administration data, plus a survey by the New York Department of Environmental Conservation. See the site map here.

The industries identified as potential commercial or industrial users of PFAS are many. PFAS are used in almost all industry branches and many consumer products. In total, more than 200 use categories and subcategories are identified for more than 1400 individual PFAS. In addition to well-known categories such as textile impregnation, fire-fighting foam, and electroplating, the identified use categories also include many categories not described in the scientific literature, including PFAS in ammunition, climbing ropes, guitar strings, artificial turf, and soil remediation.

Some occupations that are known to be exposed more than the general U.S. population are: chemical manufacturing workers, firefighters, and ski wax technicians.

There are safer alternatives to PFAS for industry. The International Chemical Secretariat –Chemsec -- has developed a site where industry can search for safer alternatives to PFAS and other toxins.

Below is a listing of the many industries that utilize PFAS:

• Oil and Gas

• Waste Management

• Chemical Manufacturing

• Metal Coating

• Petroleum

• Electronics Industry

• Plastics and Resins

• Mining and Refining

• Metal Machinery Manufacturing

• Printing

• Airports

• Car Washes

• Textiles and Leather

• Paints and Coatings

• Paper Mills and Products

• Cleaning Product Manufacturing

• National Defense

• Industrial Gas

• Fire Protection

• Glass Products

• Furniture and Carpet

• Fire Training

• Consumer Products

• Cement Manufacturing