Can PFAS from clothing end up in drinking water?

Yes, PFAS from clothing enters drinking water through multiple pathways. When PFAS-treated garments are washed, forever chemicals are released into wastewater. Conventional water treatment plants cannot remove PFAS because the carbon-fluorine bond resists all standard treatment processes. These chemicals then flow from treatment plants into rivers and lakes that serve as drinking water sources.

PFAS from discarded clothing in landfills can also leach into groundwater over time. The extreme persistence of PFAS means that chemicals released decades ago continue to contaminate water supplies today. The US EPA has set advisory levels for PFAS in drinking water at parts per trillion, reflecting the extreme toxicity of these compounds at very low concentrations. Many public water systems across the country currently exceed these levels.

While clothing is not the only source of PFAS in water, it is a significant and addressable one. Every PFAS-treated garment purchased contributes to the total PFAS burden in the water system through washing and eventual disposal. Choosing PFAS-free clothing from ONDU's curated brands is a tangible way to reduce your personal contribution to PFAS water contamination.