Environmental Justice and PFAS Disproportionality
Environmental justice (EJ) research consistently finds that PFAS contamination disproportionately affects low-income communities and communities of color near military bases, industrial facilities, and wastewater disposal sites.
Cumulative Impact Assessment
EJ communities typically face multiple simultaneous environmental burdens—PFAS plus air pollution, lead exposure, and food insecurity—creating cumulative health risks greater than any single stressor. California’s CalEnviroScreen and EPA’s EJScreen tools are being updated to include PFAS contamination.
Community Organizing and Legal Action
Community organizations in Hoosick Falls (NY), Parchment (MI), and Wilmington (NC) have successfully organized for PFAS remediation, water system upgrades, and manufacturer liability settlements. EJ legal organizations provide litigation support to affected communities.
Federal EJ Policy Responses
President Biden’s executive orders on environmental justice direct agencies to prioritize PFAS action in disadvantaged communities. EPA’s Office of Environmental Justice coordinates PFAS remediation priority-setting for EJ communities receiving Bipartisan Infrastructure Law funding.