Showing definitions 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

But there is growing concern about the long-term environmental and health impacts of some of these "forever chemicals" - so called because they persist and accumulate across ecosystems.

From BBC • Apr. 22, 2026

Often referred to as "forever chemicals," many of these substances do not break down easily and can build up in the environment and inside the human body.

From Science Daily • Mar. 21, 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

Which means it’s up to us, as individuals, to stop ingesting the pink slime of AI slop, the forever chemicals of outrage bait and the microplastics of misinformation-for-profit.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 2, 2026

The forever chemicals in my blood would "most likely" have an impact on my health, she told me.

From BBC • Dec. 1, 2025