But there remains a general lack of awareness of PFAS chemicals. Only 8% of Floridians surveyed said they were \u201cvery familiar\u201d with PFAS before taking the poll, while 42% said they had never heard of the chemicals. Of those who had, fewer than 15% learned about them from government sources; most became aware through news media.<\/p>\n
After being informed of the dangers of PFAS, 55% said they viewed the chemicals as a \u201cmajor problem,\u201d and another 34% said it was a \u201cminor problem.\u201d<\/p>\n
Fifty-four percent said they believe that there aren\u2019t sufficient safeguards in place to manage, monitor and regulate PFAs water contamination in Florida.<\/p>\n
Respondents\u2019 understanding of PFAS-related health risks was also low. When asked to identify medical conditions associated with PFAS exposure, more than a quarter of participants selected \u201cnone of the above.\u201d Another 10% said they believed the chemicals aren\u2019t tied to any illnesses.<\/p>\n The poll<\/a>, published Tuesday, was conducted by Drugwatch<\/a>, a for-profit website operated by Orlando-based law firm Wilson & Peterson LLP<\/a>, which publishes consumer information on defective drugs, medical devices and other harmful products.<\/p>\n Researchers surveyed 1,000 Florida residents 18 to 64, the site said.<\/p>\n PFAS \u2014 used for decades in nonstick cookware, waterproof clothing, firefighting foams and other consumer and industrial products \u2014 are nearly indestructible compounds that accumulate in soil, water and the human body, hence the \u201cforever\u201d descriptor.<\/p>\n Scientific research has linked exposure to them with kidney<\/a> and testicular cancer<\/a>, thyroid disease<\/a>, developmental issues<\/a>, reduced vaccine response<\/a> and high cholesterol<\/a>. Because the chemicals don\u2019t break down naturally, they can persist in groundwater and ecosystems for generations.<\/p>\n A 2024 University of Florida study<\/a> detected PFAS in 63% of spring-vent samples across 67 counties, confirming that the state\u2019s vast freshwater network \u2014 which supplies 90% of its drinking water \u2014 is widely contaminated.<\/p>\n The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has proposed a federal limit of 4 parts per trillion<\/a> for two of the most studied PFAS compounds, PFOA and PFOS, but hundreds of Florida water systems exceed those levels.<\/p>\n Take Miami-Dade County, for instance. Data from the Environmental Working Group<\/a> shows PFOA levels there at 14 parts per trillion and PFOS at 43 parts per trillion. The county\u2019s own water quality report<\/a> from last year found those levels to be lower but still exceeding the proposed federal limit: 6 parts per trillion for PFOA and 24 parts per trillion for PFOS in Miami-Dade\u2019s main system, and 11 parts per trillion for PFOA and 35 parts per trillion for PFOS in the South Dade water supply.<\/p>\n In Tallahassee, the Environmental Working Group found PFOA levels at 8.5 parts per trillion and PFOS at 9.5 parts per trillion.<\/p>\n Several cities<\/a> in the area were in line to receive millions in settlement payouts from chemical manufacturers, including 3M and DuPont. Fort Lauderdale is to receive close to $35 million, while Boca Raton is to get $32 million.<\/p>\n Delray Beach<\/a>, where water testing found PFAS levels in some places more than 7 times the safe threshold<\/a>, is to receive $15 million.<\/p>\n Miami-Dade moved to sue<\/a> chemical makers in July 2020 and enjoined a proposed class-action settlement<\/a> in late 2023.<\/p>\n In January, a Stuart man with stage 4 cancer sued Martin County Utilities and 3M<\/a> after a blood test found PFAS levels 11,000 times higher than the EPA threshold.<\/p>\n Stuart previously sued the chemical company as part of a class action complaint that yielded a $10.3 billion settlement<\/a> in 2023, to be paid out over 13 years. One of the attorneys representing more than 4,000 plaintiffs in the case was\u00a0Robert Bilott, who brought forth the first PFAS case in 1999. Actor\u00a0Mark Ruffalo\u00a0portrayed Bilott in the 2019 feature film \u201cDark Waters,\u201d and the work Bilott\u2019s team did was also depicted in the 2018 documentary, \u201cThe Devil We Know.\u201d<\/p>\n Also in 2023, three other companies, DuPont and subsidiaries Chemours Co. and Corteva Inc., reached a $1.18 billion agreement to resolve complaints about 300 drinking water providers.<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/PinpointAd_728x90.jpeg\")
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