Exposure happens when a person breathes, eats, drinks, or touches a chemical and it enters their body.
How are people exposed to PFAS?
PFAS can get into our bodies when we:
- drink water from PFAS-contaminated municipal sources or private wells,
- eat foods produced near places where PFAS were used or made,
- eat fish caught from water contaminated by PFAS,
- eat foods packaged in material that contain PFAS,
- swallow or breathe in contaminated soil or dust, or
- accidentally swallow residue or dust from consumer products containing PFAS such as stain resistant carpeting and water repellent clothing.
Research has suggested that exposure to PFOA and PFOS from today’s consumer products is usually low, and, for most PFAS, showering, bathing, or washing dishes in water containing PFAS would also be low, especially when compared to exposures to contaminated drinking water.
Young children may be more likely to get PFAS in their bodies because they tend to chew on toys and fabrics and often put their hands into their mouths. Children can also be exposed by drinking formula mixed with PFAS-contaminated water or breastmilk from persons exposed to PFAS. PFAS can be transferred from the mother to the baby during pregnancy.
In communities affected by PFAS-contaminated drinking water, water can be the main source of exposure. For other communities, the exposure sources can vary.
For information on workplace exposures, please visit the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) PFAS webpage.
