Hi, I'm Aadarsh Lakshmanan, a student at Ardrey Kell High School in Charlotte, North Carolina, genuinely interested in environmental science and aeronautical engineering.

Exploring the widespread presence of PFAS chemicals in everyday items such as rain jackets, non-stick pans, and cosmetics unveils concerning health implications due to their persistent nature and toxicity. The contamination of water sources by PFAS affects millions in the US, facilitated by transportation through water runoff, air currents, and groundwater flow, notably impacting communities near facilities like the Chemours plant in North Carolina.

While governmental actions and legal settlements signify progress, individual actions like installing water filters offer immediate solutions to mitigate PFAS exposure, underscoring the urgency for collective action to tackle this extensive environmental and health crisis.

On a larger scale, industry giants like 3M, operating in healthcare, industry, and consumer products, have recently agreed to a $10 billion settlement to aid in clean-up efforts due to their discharge of PFAS chemicals over eight decades. My mission is to raise awareness within the community, provide access to various tools and information available, and persist in advocacy until PFAS is eradicated. #notopfas. Thank you.