Forever Chemicals: A History of Contamination and the Power of Community in the Fight against PFAS with Mariah Blake
Episode 112: In this episode, Kate is joined by journalist Mariah Blake to discuss her new book, ‘They Poisoned the World: Life and Death in the Age of Forever Chemicals.’ Together, they trace the buried history of PFAS and forever chemicals—synthetic chemicals first developed in the 1930’s—that would go on to saturate everything from firefighting foam to clothes to town water supplies, with devastating consequences for public health.
The conversation centers on the story of Hoosick Falls, New York, where a small community uncovered widespread PFAS contamination in their drinking water and began a fight for justice. Kate and Mariah explore the regulatory ignorance that allowed this to happen, the role of DuPont and other chemical giants in shaping the response, and how communities are rising to meet the crisis.
They discuss how outrage becomes a catalyst for environmental change, and how ordinary people—farmers, military families, and local organizers—are now on the front lines of the PFAS fight. Through the lens of Blake’s reporting, this episode is a powerful look at what happens when chemical convenience collides with human health, and how resilience grows in even the most contaminated ground.
Find Mariah:
They Poisoned the World: Life and Death in the Age of Forever Chemicals by Mariah Blake
Instagram: @mariahcblake
Support Kate:
Resources Mentioned
Plastic List created by Nat Friedman: https://www.plasticlist.org
Plastic: A Toxic Love Story by Susan Freinkel
Dr. Max Liboiron — https://civiclaboratory.nl
Time Bombing the Future by Rebecca Altman
Richard Rhodes Making of Atomic Bomb
Related Episodes:
Episode 85 with John Vaillant on Consumption, the Petrochemical Industry
Episode 82 with Jay Owens on Dust, Testing the Bomb, Our Polluted World
Episode 83 with Helen Czerski on the Ocean
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