Oil and Gas Companies Used PFAS in West Virginia Wells; Extent of Use Obscured by 70 Million Pounds of Trade Secret Chemicals

The sixth and final in PSR’s series of reports on the use of “forever chemicals” — PFAS, or Per- and Polyfluorinated Substances — used in fracking and drilling for oil and gas. This report, documenting use of these toxic chemicals in West Virginia, found a situation similar to that in other states: Some use of PFAS is visible in industry reporting; a lot more information is shielded behind “confidential business information” designations. In short, it’s nearly impossible for West Virginians to know where these toxic chemicals are being used in drilling and fracking, and in what quantities.

Download