Showing results for "forever chemicals"

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Tech & Science dictionary results for forever chemicals.

forever chemicals

American  

[fawr-ev-er kem-i-kuhlz, fer-] / fɔrˈɛv ər ˌkɛm ɪ kəlz, fər- /

plural noun

1. long-lasting chemicals, including PFAS and hydrofluorocarbons, used in the manufacture of common household items such as refrigerators, nonstick cookware, and flame-resistant furniture, that remain in the environment because they break down very slowly, and subsequently accumulate within animals and people.

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Etymology

Origin of forever chemicals

Coined by U.S. academic and public health expert Joseph G. Allen in an opinion piece in The Washington Post (2018)

Example Sentences

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forever chemicals

The bill marks the latest back-and-forth over PFAS, chemicals that are found in many different consumer, commercial and industrial products and are known as forever chemicals because some of their components don’t easily break down.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 30, 2026

Hundreds of Belgians living near a 3M plant have sued the US multinational maker of Post-it and Scotch tape over pollution from so-called "forever chemicals" in a trial that opens on Tuesday.

From Barron's ● Feb. 24, 2026

They are often referred to as "forever chemicals" because they break down very slowly and can accumulate in the environment and in the human body.

From Science Daily ● Feb. 23, 2026

Bayer also said it expected to pay another $3bn in separate RoundUp cases, including from several states in the US over its relationship to forever chemicals.

From BBC ● Feb. 17, 2026

Listen to BBC Inside Science: Where do forever chemicals come from?

From BBC ● Feb. 11, 2026