Governor JB Pritzker, on Friday, August 15, signed legislation that the state’s clean water advocates are hailing as a significant step forward in tackling the growing threat of toxic water pollution. Sponsored by Senator Julie Morrison and Representative Abdelnasser Rashid, HB2516 phases out the use of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), aka “forever chemicals,” in the manufacturing of children’s products, cosmetics, intimate apparel such as sleepwear or underwear, menstrual products, and dental floss by 2032. PFAS have emerged as a serious environmental and public health threat due to their persistence and widespread contamination. These manufactured chemicals, widely utilized in consumer and industrial products since World War II, are now linked to alarming levels of contamination in drinking water supplies and health risks ranging from cancers to liver toxicity to reduced fertility. PFAS are often called “forever chemicals” because they contain an exceptionally strong carbon-fluorine bond, which makes them highly resistant to breakdown. As a result, they persist in the environment for decades or longer—in water, soil, and even living organisms. Studies have linked prolonged exposure to PFAS to thyroid disorders, diabetes, elevated cholesterol, low birth rates and cancer among other troubling health conditions.