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SPRINGFIELD, Ill. — In a decisive move, the Illinois Senate has nearly unanimously approved a bill designed to curb the release of PFAS, often referred to as “forever chemicals,” into the state’s wastewater systems.
Jen Walling, who leads the Illinois Environmental Council, explained that PFAS—an acronym for perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances—are prevalent in consumer products such as clothing, food packaging, and non-stick cookware. These chemicals are associated with various types of cancer and are notoriously slow to decompose in the human body due to their stable fluorinated carbon bonds, earning them the nickname “forever chemicals.”
Senate Bill 3917 outlines a requirement for all wastewater treatment facilities to conduct regular testing for PFAS in their biosolids and both incoming and outgoing water. Additionally, should the bill become law, industrial facilities would be mandated to test their wastewater for these persistent chemicals.