Researchers and companies across the country are eager to find a way to destroy harmful PFAS chemicals as regulation tightens and producers face a mountain of lawsuits.

How do you destroy pollution so stubborn, it’s nicknamed “forever chemicals”?

That’s a question researchers and companies across the country are eager to answer, as regulation tightens on PFAS, or per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, and the chemicals’ producers face a mountain of lawsuits.

The chemicals are in fast-food wrappers, firefighting foams, nonstick cookware and dental floss. They don’t break down readily in the environment, they easily flow with water, and research has linked them to health effects like immune and fertility problems and some cancers.

Getting rid of the harmful chemicals is “a multi-billion-dollar elephant in front of us,” said Corey Theriault, a technical expert focused on PFAS treatment at the engineering and consulting firm Arcadis.