Toxic By Proximity: How PFAS Risk Shadows Millions Of U.S. Students As They Return Back To School

By Ganesh Hegde

Across the U.S., millions of students are walking into schools that may be exposing them to PFAS—so-called “forever chemicals” linked to cancer, immune dysfunction, liver damage, and developmental risks. While new federal regulations will limit PFAS in drinking water by 2029, the danger is already widespread today.

A geospatial analysis conducted by KETOS mapped 133,000 schools and the 51.2 million students they serve against two proximity-based factors: PFAS-contaminated public water systems and clusters of PFAS-linked industrial facilities. The findings are alarming: nearly 80% of schools sit within 10 miles of one or both risk sources, and more than 92% of students—nearly 10 in 11 children—attend schools with elevated PFAS exposure risk.

Hotspots include the East Coast, Midwest, and industrial regions of California and Texas, but suburban and rural communities are far from exempt. Given PFAS’s persistence in the human body and children’s heightened vulnerability, the stakes are urgent.

KETOS emphasizes that action begins with awareness. Families and communities can check their school’s PFAS “grade,” order testing kits, and access full datasets through the company’s PRISM platform. With regulations still years away, proactive monitoring and mitigation are critical to protect the next generation from a chemical crisis hiding in plain sight.