California airports stand to benefit from lawmakers and scientists’ attempts to disrupt ‘forever chemicals’
UC Riverside professor Jinyong Liu embarked on a scientific challenge as an undergraduate chemistry student when he heard people dub per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) as “forever chemicals.” … Undetectable by sight, smell, or taste, PFAS is part of everyday American life. It’s found in personal care products like shampoo and dental floss, in grease-resistant food packaging, and nonstick cookware. … In 2019, the State Water Resources Control Board ordered 30 airports, including the San Luis Obispo County Regional Airport, to investigate their groundwater and soil for the chemical. State regulators pinpointed pollution to a PFAS-rich foam called aqueous film forming foam (AFFF), which has been discharged into the environment since the mid-1970s through firefighter trainings.