The Public's Puzzling Reluctance to Detect and Mitigate Exposure to Perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS)

Abstract

There is limited but growing public awareness of the prevalence and potential adverse impacts of perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), also known as “forever chemicals,” on human health and agri-environmental systems. This study leverages a 2022 health advisory on PFAS contamination in drinking water to examine public reactions and willingness to invest in at-home National Sanitation Foundation (NSF) and American National Standards Institute (ANSI)-certified PFAS water and blood test kits and carbon filters that remove PFAS from drinking water through an incentivized field experiment with 1005 adults. Participants were randomly assigned to three information treatments: detailed information on PFAS health impacts and prevalence, a media article with the health advisory, labeling PFAS as hazardous, and a combination of both. We find that participants reported a strong desire for public action to prevent PFAS contamination. However, individual willingness to share the cost of investing in private measures is relatively low, ranging from 10.6% to 17.2% of the purchase price. Cost-share bids for the water filters were significantly higher than for the exposure tests. Moreover, providing PFAS health impact information coupled with information from a media source was most effective in promoting the submission of higher cost share bids.