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They Poisoned the World: Life and Death in the Age of Forever Chemicals
A landmark investigation of the chemical industry's decades-long campaign to hide the dangers of forever chemicals, told through the story of a small town on the frontlines of an epic public health crisis.
In 2014, after losing several friends and relatives to cancer, an unassuming insurance underwriter in Hoosick Falls, New York, began to suspect that the local water supply was polluted. When he tested his tap water, he discovered dangerous levels of forever chemicals. This set off a chain of events that led to 100 million Americans learning their drinking water was tainted. Although the discovery came as a shock to most, the U.S. government and the manufacturers of these toxic chemicals—used in everything from lipstick and cookware to children’s clothing—had known about their hazards for decades.
In They Poisoned the World, investigative journalist Mariah Blake tells the astonishing story of this cover-up, tracing its roots back to the Manhattan Project and through the postwar years, as industry scientists discovered that these chemicals refused to break down and were saturating the blood of virtually every human being. By the 1980s, manufacturers were secretly testing their workers and finding links to birth defects, cancer, and other serious diseases. At every step, the industry’s deceptions were aided by our government’s appallingly lax regulatory system—a system that has made us all guinea pigs in a vast, uncontrolled chemistry experiment.
Drawing on years of on-the-ground reporting and tens of thousands of documents, Blake interweaves the secret history of forever chemicals with the moving story of how a lone village took on the chemical giants—and won. From the beloved local doctor to the young mother who took her fight all the way to the nation’s capital, citizen activists in Hoosick Falls and beyond have ignited the most powerful grassroots environmental movement since Silent Spring.
Humane and revelatory, this book will provoke outrage—and hopefully inspire the change we need to protect the health of every American for generations to come.
In 2014, after losing several friends and relatives to cancer, an unassuming insurance underwriter in Hoosick Falls, New York, began to suspect that the local water supply was polluted. When he tested his tap water, he discovered dangerous levels of forever chemicals. This set off a chain of events that led to 100 million Americans learning their drinking water was tainted. Although the discovery came as a shock to most, the U.S. government and the manufacturers of these toxic chemicals—used in everything from lipstick and cookware to children’s clothing—had known about their hazards for decades.
In They Poisoned the World, investigative journalist Mariah Blake tells the astonishing story of this cover-up, tracing its roots back to the Manhattan Project and through the postwar years, as industry scientists discovered that these chemicals refused to break down and were saturating the blood of virtually every human being. By the 1980s, manufacturers were secretly testing their workers and finding links to birth defects, cancer, and other serious diseases. At every step, the industry’s deceptions were aided by our government’s appallingly lax regulatory system—a system that has made us all guinea pigs in a vast, uncontrolled chemistry experiment.
Drawing on years of on-the-ground reporting and tens of thousands of documents, Blake interweaves the secret history of forever chemicals with the moving story of how a lone village took on the chemical giants—and won. From the beloved local doctor to the young mother who took her fight all the way to the nation’s capital, citizen activists in Hoosick Falls and beyond have ignited the most powerful grassroots environmental movement since Silent Spring.
Humane and revelatory, this book will provoke outrage—and hopefully inspire the change we need to protect the health of every American for generations to come.
320 pages, Hardcover
First published May 6, 2025
131 people are currently reading
8424 people want to read
About the author
Mariah Blake
2 books37 followersMariah Blake is an investigative journalist whose writing has appeared in The New York Times, The Atlantic, Mother Jones, The New Republic, and other publications. She was a Murrey Marder Nieman Fellow in Watchdog Journalism at Harvard University.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 135 reviews
May 23, 2025
This whole situation is so fucked up. The books covers the pollution well and does a good job to incorporate personal stories to hit the human interest angle. Parts felt long or like i was ahead of the story since it follows a pretty standard narrative nonfiction expose kind of arc. Very straightforward. Very clear. Strong work.
June 3, 2025
Horrifying and excellent journalism. I was drawn to read this because I grew up in a town and zip code that are consistently on various lists of air, soil, and drinking water pollution sites of grave concern, including for PFAS, and largely due to the presence of a major chemical company. It’s amazing these types of stories are happening all around the country, and planet, and are so often buried or denied. We’re in more trouble than ever before, my friends. This is not the first time I’ve read a review stating this, but again: it’s truly a miracle we’re all still alive. And some of us aren’t. Also, is there any less rewarding and more thankless, unappreciated type of heroism than being an environmental activist?
August 7, 2025
This is an outstanding book. I did contract work at the Saint Gobain plant in Hoosick Falls when this was ongoing. Employees asked me about the cancer spikes in the town. The atmosphere at the company was tense. At the time PFOA and PFOS were not regulated and were not something I knew much about. I urged them to explore the issue and attend public meetings and make their own minds up. There was a lot of misinformation.
Even today in Bennington I encounter people who tell me Saint Gobain never had anything to with Chemfab. Once in a while, I encounter someone who claims otherwise. This book makes things clear. So does the settlement.
It appears we have polluted ourselves into a corner, whether it is PFOA/PFOS or lead. Even when the evidence was there it was ignored in an effort to maximize profits at the expense of other people. We see the same with Big Tobacco and the Sackler Opiod issue. I am in favor of profit; I am not in favor of greed.
People are grubby and made grubbier with money.
Even today in Bennington I encounter people who tell me Saint Gobain never had anything to with Chemfab. Once in a while, I encounter someone who claims otherwise. This book makes things clear. So does the settlement.
It appears we have polluted ourselves into a corner, whether it is PFOA/PFOS or lead. Even when the evidence was there it was ignored in an effort to maximize profits at the expense of other people. We see the same with Big Tobacco and the Sackler Opiod issue. I am in favor of profit; I am not in favor of greed.
People are grubby and made grubbier with money.
November 25, 2025
Yeeeeesh. This is a pretty depressing and horrifying account and really reminded me a lot of what I learned in Empire of Pain in terms of the ways corporations just completely disregard, hide and lie about the deep harm and death their causing all as long as they can keep gettin that monayyyy. Not to mention how federal regulators, senators, mayors and councils are all swayed by lobbyists, corporate interests and bad faith players. Shaaaaame!!!
I do wish there had been more talk about global effects instead of focusing JUST on America but I can see how that would be daunting. Overall this was well done by Blake and I think she struck just the right balance of personal stories/bigger picture where it felt grounded but also like you got a sense of what was happening on a bigger scale as well.
I do wish there had been more talk about global effects instead of focusing JUST on America but I can see how that would be daunting. Overall this was well done by Blake and I think she struck just the right balance of personal stories/bigger picture where it felt grounded but also like you got a sense of what was happening on a bigger scale as well.
April 11, 2025
"They Poisoned the World" is an enticing, captivating, and devastating read about the tumultuous downsides of capitalistic greed. Unfortunately, in today's world, this type of occurrence feels all too commonplace, but author Mariah Blake takes readers on an incredible journey of corporate cover-ups dating back to World War II. After losing several friends and family, including his father, to cancer, Michael Hickey began looking into his local water supply in Hoosick Falls, New York and discovered dangerous levels of "forever chemicals" known as PFAS in the town's drinking water caused by illegal dumping, among other factors, of toxic chemicals.
Throughout this book, Blake describes decades of government officials and business executives looking the other way on research into disastrous effects of chemicals used in their production plants, as well as run-off affecting inconspicuous areas of everyday town life. These companies would rather pay hefty fines than admit any wrongdoing or do their part to warn employees or townspeople of the harmful conditions. Blake weaves in historical narratives that read like science fiction. She captivates readers with, at times, unbelievable stories of greed and corruption with personal implications interspersed detailing how these decisions have lasting impacts on everyday people for generations. It's difficult to fathom just how far those in power will go to stay there, even at the cost of human life, and Blake does an excellent job of remaining objective while leading readers to understand the full scope of these chemicals' effects.
Throughout this book, Blake describes decades of government officials and business executives looking the other way on research into disastrous effects of chemicals used in their production plants, as well as run-off affecting inconspicuous areas of everyday town life. These companies would rather pay hefty fines than admit any wrongdoing or do their part to warn employees or townspeople of the harmful conditions. Blake weaves in historical narratives that read like science fiction. She captivates readers with, at times, unbelievable stories of greed and corruption with personal implications interspersed detailing how these decisions have lasting impacts on everyday people for generations. It's difficult to fathom just how far those in power will go to stay there, even at the cost of human life, and Blake does an excellent job of remaining objective while leading readers to understand the full scope of these chemicals' effects.
July 31, 2025
“All too often, we respond to grave environmental threats with a kind of collective paralysis. The problems are so vast and mind-bendingly complex that our individual efforts to address them can feel meaningless, especially when our political leaders are bent on rolling back protections.”
Huge thanks to Crown Publishing for the free copy of the book in exchange for an honest review!
I had a general knowledge about the information in this book for various other forms of media, but this was the first time it was all pieced together. It’s rough to read, but the information Mariah Blake presents is so important. This book highlights the way companies don’t care about consumers and they only care about making money, even when that comes with serious health complications for those purchasing their products. It also includes those who live near the facilities that manufacture these products.
Forever chemicals have permeated so much of our daily lives that it’s something we don’t always think about. And it’s absolutely terrifying. Throughout this book, Blake recounts stories of real people whose lives have been upended by the effects of these chemicals and the stories are truly heartbreaking. It’s also enraging to read about how little protections there are and that it feels like these companies are getting away with everything.
As difficult as this can be at times, I think it’s definitely an important and informative read. I recommend checking this out, especially if it’s not something you know much about already.
Huge thanks to Crown Publishing for the free copy of the book in exchange for an honest review!
I had a general knowledge about the information in this book for various other forms of media, but this was the first time it was all pieced together. It’s rough to read, but the information Mariah Blake presents is so important. This book highlights the way companies don’t care about consumers and they only care about making money, even when that comes with serious health complications for those purchasing their products. It also includes those who live near the facilities that manufacture these products.
Forever chemicals have permeated so much of our daily lives that it’s something we don’t always think about. And it’s absolutely terrifying. Throughout this book, Blake recounts stories of real people whose lives have been upended by the effects of these chemicals and the stories are truly heartbreaking. It’s also enraging to read about how little protections there are and that it feels like these companies are getting away with everything.
As difficult as this can be at times, I think it’s definitely an important and informative read. I recommend checking this out, especially if it’s not something you know much about already.
November 25, 2025
One of those rare audiobooks that did get my attention. I listened to this every day on my way to the office for the better part of two weeks because I apparently like being depressed at 7 am while driving.
This is one of those books that signal how much "I hate it here", and at the same time, I simply keep on existing. A horrific tale of corruption, cover-ups, harm, and exploitation, told by an astonishing voice in investigative journalism.
I don't even want to know what would come up if we tested the waters from the rivers in my home state in México.
This is one of those books that signal how much "I hate it here", and at the same time, I simply keep on existing. A horrific tale of corruption, cover-ups, harm, and exploitation, told by an astonishing voice in investigative journalism.
I don't even want to know what would come up if we tested the waters from the rivers in my home state in México.
June 17, 2025
I really admire journalists and “citizen sleuths” such as the author and all who were mentioned in this book. I am beside myself with the act of exposing of all of the massive companies and the damage that goes back for decades, as it is such a brave thing to do.
This is no light read, it will rock your world in ways that you may never shake. Modern life may have been the worst thing that could have happened to us. They really did poison the world.
All of this aside, we must continue to gain knowledge from incredible literature, embrace activism against forever chemicals, and try to remember there is only so much we can do. I really do recommend on gaining information on this topic if you’ve never opened your eyes to it - this book is a great place to start.
This is no light read, it will rock your world in ways that you may never shake. Modern life may have been the worst thing that could have happened to us. They really did poison the world.
All of this aside, we must continue to gain knowledge from incredible literature, embrace activism against forever chemicals, and try to remember there is only so much we can do. I really do recommend on gaining information on this topic if you’ve never opened your eyes to it - this book is a great place to start.
July 24, 2025
I have never been brought to tears by a nonfiction book before. This has left me utterly speechless. Upon first glance this book seems to be a stolid play-by-play of the deliberate oversight of chemical companies in the manufacture and distribution of PFAS, but it becomes clear that the true heart of this book is this devastating personal narrative of real people who have been poisoned by titanic chemical corporations, and the ways it has literally ruined their lives - physically, medically, mentally, and emotionally.
Blake has painstakingly interviewed hundreds of average working-class folks whose lives have been upended by the health complications from PFAS, and spun their stories into a searing, edge-of-your-seat legal thriller about their grassroots fight for justice against cold-blooded billion-dollar companies and the incomprehensible legion of politicians and scientists they have bought out. Chronicled through the eyes of several sympathetic characters, including a low-income mother fighting for clean water for her already poisoned children, a mild-mannered insurance employee avenging the untimely death of his factory-worker father, and a doctor trying to protect his community while already suffering from his own unnaturally early cancer, you really get a feel for the destruction these companies have unleashed upon the world in the name of profit. The modern-day account of these people’s suffering unfolds alongside the history of chemical manufacturing in an expertly woven tale of past and current events. As we start with the death of a main characters’ father in 2011, which is heavily implied to be due to complications stemming from lifetime exposure to Teflon, we also start with the genesis of chemical manufacturing in the 19th century and the invention of PFAS. I really loved the section on the Manhattan Project and how the U.S. government has aided and abetted chemical corporations in the poisoning and slow manslaughter of its own citizens. Blake unravels a really bracing expose on how much the chemical industry has lobbied against regulation, and how much data it has deliberately covered up to protect themselves against any blowback that might impact their bottom line. Corruption is so deeply entrenched in these corporations’ profit model, they can only make money by cheating, lying, and literally killing people. There’s a section about how companies like DuPont have deliberately delayed legal proceedings with plaintiffs suffering from various cancers due to their illegal chemical dumping, specifically because they are WAITING FOR PLAINTIFFS TO DIE!!!!!!!! of their ailments so they don’t have to pay out. Wow. Capitalism is truly a biblical evil.
I was heartbroken, I was enraged, I was in disbelief. Mariah Blake is a freaking genius, I cannot believe this is her first book ever. This book was paced so perfectly and I loved the way that the two narratives worked together to deliver its scathing final message. This might have toppled Wasteland as my favorite nonfiction book of all time. Powerful, devastating, horrifying, an absolute must read. 10/10. 11/10 if I could.
Blake has painstakingly interviewed hundreds of average working-class folks whose lives have been upended by the health complications from PFAS, and spun their stories into a searing, edge-of-your-seat legal thriller about their grassroots fight for justice against cold-blooded billion-dollar companies and the incomprehensible legion of politicians and scientists they have bought out. Chronicled through the eyes of several sympathetic characters, including a low-income mother fighting for clean water for her already poisoned children, a mild-mannered insurance employee avenging the untimely death of his factory-worker father, and a doctor trying to protect his community while already suffering from his own unnaturally early cancer, you really get a feel for the destruction these companies have unleashed upon the world in the name of profit. The modern-day account of these people’s suffering unfolds alongside the history of chemical manufacturing in an expertly woven tale of past and current events. As we start with the death of a main characters’ father in 2011, which is heavily implied to be due to complications stemming from lifetime exposure to Teflon, we also start with the genesis of chemical manufacturing in the 19th century and the invention of PFAS. I really loved the section on the Manhattan Project and how the U.S. government has aided and abetted chemical corporations in the poisoning and slow manslaughter of its own citizens. Blake unravels a really bracing expose on how much the chemical industry has lobbied against regulation, and how much data it has deliberately covered up to protect themselves against any blowback that might impact their bottom line. Corruption is so deeply entrenched in these corporations’ profit model, they can only make money by cheating, lying, and literally killing people. There’s a section about how companies like DuPont have deliberately delayed legal proceedings with plaintiffs suffering from various cancers due to their illegal chemical dumping, specifically because they are WAITING FOR PLAINTIFFS TO DIE!!!!!!!! of their ailments so they don’t have to pay out. Wow. Capitalism is truly a biblical evil.
I was heartbroken, I was enraged, I was in disbelief. Mariah Blake is a freaking genius, I cannot believe this is her first book ever. This book was paced so perfectly and I loved the way that the two narratives worked together to deliver its scathing final message. This might have toppled Wasteland as my favorite nonfiction book of all time. Powerful, devastating, horrifying, an absolute must read. 10/10. 11/10 if I could.
March 19, 2025
I typically don't read scientific books. I wasn't too sure if this book would be something that I enjoyed reading. While this is actually the case, the book was a true eye opener.
When I was a bag boy at a grocery store, the environmentalists were pushing single use plastic grocery bags as the savior of the world. Rather than using paper bags to bag groceries, they wanted to use plastic bags. Touted how it was light weight so it reduced the CO2 emissions from trucks delivering the bags to each grocery store. How paper bags were encouraging large swaths of forests to be cut down. How these bags were environmentally safe and that they were recyclable.
Today we know that most of this is not the truth. While paper bags were indeed from wood products, paper bags were more recyclable and less environmentally damaging that plastic bags.
What does this have to do with Forever Chemicals? it's the fact that we as people tend to get stuck in a moment where we get stuck with our own beliefs and turn a blind eye to the truth. That we keep pushing for Government to hand out money to provide better science, yet ignore the fact that our own Government tends to hide things from us and never let the cat out of the bag. How scientists themselves tend to hide their own findings just because they are worried about being fired from their job, or ridiculed in their own community. Just because something seems better than something else, we tend to ignore the long term affects on our own society.
This book is a great wake up call for all of us. A wake up call that should get us all to question whether someone is telling the truth or not. A wake up call that not every company, nor Government has our own safety and health in their minds.
It's sad to hear tails like this. Did we really need these chemicals in our lives? Could these chemical companies have simply stopped at a certain point and instead of looking at the dollar signs, look at the environment and the chemicals impact and make the decision to not push forward?
Mariah did a great job at bringing forth these questions. The answer lies not in the book, but in each persons heart. I didn't enjoy the book like I would a SciFi novel, but rather enjoyed the book because it gave a great detail on what happened and how it's going to continue to cause issues down the road. Gives us a moment to reflect on the mistakes made and gives us guidance on how we can fix other mistakes from happening in the future.
When I was a bag boy at a grocery store, the environmentalists were pushing single use plastic grocery bags as the savior of the world. Rather than using paper bags to bag groceries, they wanted to use plastic bags. Touted how it was light weight so it reduced the CO2 emissions from trucks delivering the bags to each grocery store. How paper bags were encouraging large swaths of forests to be cut down. How these bags were environmentally safe and that they were recyclable.
Today we know that most of this is not the truth. While paper bags were indeed from wood products, paper bags were more recyclable and less environmentally damaging that plastic bags.
What does this have to do with Forever Chemicals? it's the fact that we as people tend to get stuck in a moment where we get stuck with our own beliefs and turn a blind eye to the truth. That we keep pushing for Government to hand out money to provide better science, yet ignore the fact that our own Government tends to hide things from us and never let the cat out of the bag. How scientists themselves tend to hide their own findings just because they are worried about being fired from their job, or ridiculed in their own community. Just because something seems better than something else, we tend to ignore the long term affects on our own society.
This book is a great wake up call for all of us. A wake up call that should get us all to question whether someone is telling the truth or not. A wake up call that not every company, nor Government has our own safety and health in their minds.
It's sad to hear tails like this. Did we really need these chemicals in our lives? Could these chemical companies have simply stopped at a certain point and instead of looking at the dollar signs, look at the environment and the chemicals impact and make the decision to not push forward?
Mariah did a great job at bringing forth these questions. The answer lies not in the book, but in each persons heart. I didn't enjoy the book like I would a SciFi novel, but rather enjoyed the book because it gave a great detail on what happened and how it's going to continue to cause issues down the road. Gives us a moment to reflect on the mistakes made and gives us guidance on how we can fix other mistakes from happening in the future.
May 22, 2025
Book Review: They Poisoned the World: Life and Death in the Age of Forever Chemicals by Mariah Blake
Author: Mariah Blake
Publication Date: 2025
Genre: Investigative Journalism / Environmental Science / Public Health
Note: Environmental Public Health is my professional career and grew up in WV so I'm biased with that lens.
Overview
Mariah Blake’s They Poisoned the World is a meticulously researched exposé on per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), commonly known as “forever chemicals.” The book traces the chemical industry’s decades-long campaign to conceal the dangers of PFAS while profiting from their widespread use in consumer products, from non-stick cookware to firefighting foams. Combining investigative rigor with narrative storytelling, Blake reveals how corporate malfeasance, regulatory failures, and scientific suppression have led to a global public health crisis.
Key Themes and Analysis
1. Corporate Deception and Regulatory Failures
Blake documents how chemical manufacturers, particularly DuPont and 3M, knowingly suppressed evidence of PFAS toxicity while aggressively marketing their products. Internal memos, leaked documents, and whistleblower testimonies reveal a pattern of deception akin to Big Tobacco’s playbook. The book critiques weak regulatory oversight, particularly the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) delayed response, allowing contamination to proliferate.
2. Health and Environmental Consequences
The book synthesizes scientific studies linking PFAS to cancers, immune system damage, and developmental disorders. Blake highlights affected communities—such as those near industrial sites in West Virginia and Minnesota—where elevated disease rates correlate with contamination. The environmental persistence of PFAS (hence “forever chemicals”) means even low exposures accumulate over time, creating intergenerational harm.
3. Investigative Journalism as a Tool for Accountability
Blake’s approach mirrors works like Silent Spring (Rachel Carson) and Exposure (Robert Bilott), blending hard data with human stories. Her access to legal battles, including landmark lawsuits against chemical companies, strengthens the narrative’s legal and ethical dimensions. However, some scholars may critique the lack of broader policy solutions beyond litigation.
4. Global Implications
While focused on the U.S., Blake underscores PFAS as a transnational issue, with contamination detected in water supplies worldwide. The book calls for international cooperation, though it stops short of detailing actionable frameworks.
Strengths
Depth of Research: Court documents, scientific studies, and corporate archives provide a damning indictment.
Narrative Power: Personal stories (e.g., affected families, scientists-turned-whistleblowers) make technical content accessible.
Timeliness: PFAS regulation is a growing policy priority (e.g., EPA’s 2024 drinking water standards), making the book highly relevant.
Limitations
Policy Prescriptions: While strong on critique, the book offers fewer concrete solutions.
Scope: Focus on U.S. cases may overlook comparative international regulatory approaches.
Comparative Context
Similar to The Devil We Know (Stephanie Soechtig) but with deeper investigative detail. Contrasts with Silent Spring in its explicit corporate accountability lens.
Conclusion
They Poisoned the World is essential reading for environmental science, public health, and journalism students. Its blend of investigative rigor and human storytelling makes it a potent tool for advocacy, though supplemental policy analyses may be needed for academic use.
Rating: ★★★★☆ (4.5/5) — A compelling, if occasionally U.S.-centric, masterclass in environmental investigative journalism.
Author: Mariah Blake
Publication Date: 2025
Genre: Investigative Journalism / Environmental Science / Public Health
Note: Environmental Public Health is my professional career and grew up in WV so I'm biased with that lens.
Overview
Mariah Blake’s They Poisoned the World is a meticulously researched exposé on per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), commonly known as “forever chemicals.” The book traces the chemical industry’s decades-long campaign to conceal the dangers of PFAS while profiting from their widespread use in consumer products, from non-stick cookware to firefighting foams. Combining investigative rigor with narrative storytelling, Blake reveals how corporate malfeasance, regulatory failures, and scientific suppression have led to a global public health crisis.
Key Themes and Analysis
1. Corporate Deception and Regulatory Failures
Blake documents how chemical manufacturers, particularly DuPont and 3M, knowingly suppressed evidence of PFAS toxicity while aggressively marketing their products. Internal memos, leaked documents, and whistleblower testimonies reveal a pattern of deception akin to Big Tobacco’s playbook. The book critiques weak regulatory oversight, particularly the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) delayed response, allowing contamination to proliferate.
2. Health and Environmental Consequences
The book synthesizes scientific studies linking PFAS to cancers, immune system damage, and developmental disorders. Blake highlights affected communities—such as those near industrial sites in West Virginia and Minnesota—where elevated disease rates correlate with contamination. The environmental persistence of PFAS (hence “forever chemicals”) means even low exposures accumulate over time, creating intergenerational harm.
3. Investigative Journalism as a Tool for Accountability
Blake’s approach mirrors works like Silent Spring (Rachel Carson) and Exposure (Robert Bilott), blending hard data with human stories. Her access to legal battles, including landmark lawsuits against chemical companies, strengthens the narrative’s legal and ethical dimensions. However, some scholars may critique the lack of broader policy solutions beyond litigation.
4. Global Implications
While focused on the U.S., Blake underscores PFAS as a transnational issue, with contamination detected in water supplies worldwide. The book calls for international cooperation, though it stops short of detailing actionable frameworks.
Strengths
Depth of Research: Court documents, scientific studies, and corporate archives provide a damning indictment.
Narrative Power: Personal stories (e.g., affected families, scientists-turned-whistleblowers) make technical content accessible.
Timeliness: PFAS regulation is a growing policy priority (e.g., EPA’s 2024 drinking water standards), making the book highly relevant.
Limitations
Policy Prescriptions: While strong on critique, the book offers fewer concrete solutions.
Scope: Focus on U.S. cases may overlook comparative international regulatory approaches.
Comparative Context
Similar to The Devil We Know (Stephanie Soechtig) but with deeper investigative detail. Contrasts with Silent Spring in its explicit corporate accountability lens.
Conclusion
They Poisoned the World is essential reading for environmental science, public health, and journalism students. Its blend of investigative rigor and human storytelling makes it a potent tool for advocacy, though supplemental policy analyses may be needed for academic use.
Rating: ★★★★☆ (4.5/5) — A compelling, if occasionally U.S.-centric, masterclass in environmental investigative journalism.
June 17, 2025
Liked this work of narrative nonfiction a lot."A landmark investigation of the chemical industry's decades-long campaign to hide the dangers of forever chemicals, told through the story of a small town on the frontlines of an epic public health crisis." Author Mariah Blake incorporates history alongside a focus on Hoosick Falls, New York, and the people living there.
One critique is that the book begins with an author's note about trying to avoid toxic chemicals while pregnant, then finding out that the bottled water she paid for and drank came in plastic that may have made that water less safe than that from the tap. She goes on to detail a widespread investigation on forever chemicals, including how they're seemingly everywhere - but some people have much higher amounts in the blood than others. So what? Are we all doomed, but those who live closer to factories are doomed more? Should we all be tossing plastic food containers and switching to glass or stainless steel only? What's the answer, for other pregnant people - with regard to water, cookware, food storage, cosmetics, and so on? The author recommends advocacy as a means of change, but doesn't address more everyday consumer actions - which felt like an oversight, given that it was the "hook" to draw readers in.
One critique is that the book begins with an author's note about trying to avoid toxic chemicals while pregnant, then finding out that the bottled water she paid for and drank came in plastic that may have made that water less safe than that from the tap. She goes on to detail a widespread investigation on forever chemicals, including how they're seemingly everywhere - but some people have much higher amounts in the blood than others. So what? Are we all doomed, but those who live closer to factories are doomed more? Should we all be tossing plastic food containers and switching to glass or stainless steel only? What's the answer, for other pregnant people - with regard to water, cookware, food storage, cosmetics, and so on? The author recommends advocacy as a means of change, but doesn't address more everyday consumer actions - which felt like an oversight, given that it was the "hook" to draw readers in.
May 25, 2025
This book covers the damage to environment and public health by 3M and DuPont releasing fluorocarbons into the atmosphere and development of products using Teflon, Goretex and other products based on fluorocarbons. The link is established the Manhattan Project which released nuclear fallout and uranium mine runoffs into the environment with the fluorocarbon based industry.
August 21, 2025
So basically we’re fucked and the government has known this for decades cool cool
April 19, 2025
This is a powerful and infuriating book about the chemicals that have been created, lied about, and the substantial damage they have caused. The close personal stories of early cancer diagnosis’s and the consequences for so many families and communities reminded me of Amity and Prosperity which is high praise. I would definitely recommend this one!
October 9, 2025
My head and heart can't handle what I just read. Two major corporations, DuPont and M3, are the sole creators and contributors to forever chemicals permeating our environment and our bodies. There seems to be no escape.
The book focuses on Hoosick Falls, New York. A small rural community that finds itself in the crosshairs of major corporations that refuse to admit publicly there is a connection between the many illnesses that plague the residents and their product. The companies bury the evidence similar to the tobacco industry.
Residents ban together in a David and Goliath fight that moves at a glacial pace. The EPA doesn't hold the companies accountable and politicans are not eager to regulate as there is the whole issue of money. Money talks and that's what keeps the companies churning out products that contain chemicals that never break down over time. More importantly, these chemicals are omnipresent - they are found far and wide even in babies at birth nowhere near the companies manufacturing the products. A horrible reality I live in.
Don’t read it to feel better, but do read it to know better.
The book focuses on Hoosick Falls, New York. A small rural community that finds itself in the crosshairs of major corporations that refuse to admit publicly there is a connection between the many illnesses that plague the residents and their product. The companies bury the evidence similar to the tobacco industry.
Residents ban together in a David and Goliath fight that moves at a glacial pace. The EPA doesn't hold the companies accountable and politicans are not eager to regulate as there is the whole issue of money. Money talks and that's what keeps the companies churning out products that contain chemicals that never break down over time. More importantly, these chemicals are omnipresent - they are found far and wide even in babies at birth nowhere near the companies manufacturing the products. A horrible reality I live in.
Don’t read it to feel better, but do read it to know better.
July 24, 2025
I kinda knew about forever chemicals before starting this book. but I didnt know we got them as fucking byproducts from the Manhattan Project that companies wanted to commercialize. Never once doing safety testing and going to great lengths to prevent any testing or regulation. Burying their own scientists when it came to light that it was horrifically detrimental to human health.
Also fuck Regan and deregulation. What do you MEAN we poisoned the world so thoroughly that we poisoned Antarctica with this shit
Also fuck Regan and deregulation. What do you MEAN we poisoned the world so thoroughly that we poisoned Antarctica with this shit
October 13, 2025
This book brought searing clarity to my general and social media driven understanding of “forever chemicals.” After reading this book, I think the public reaction (much less government supervision) of forever chemicals is not be serious enough. This book moves past the hype to provide a well researched overview of PFAS chemicals, with some fascinating historical context thrown in. This books also shows the just absolute influence that DuPont and their lobbyist had over congressional legislation and the EPA’s implementing regulations. I generally find the concept of “all corporations are evil” to be a naive rebuke of capitalism but this book certainly lends credence to that narrative.
June 12, 2025
I’m a little biased as a scientist that works in drinking water quality, but EVERYONE should read this book. Forever chemicals- PFAS- are everywhere and this book did a great job of detailing the background of Dupont and 3M and others and the timeline and details of “what did they know and when did they know it.” This connected a lot of dots for me, even among parts of our country’s history that I did not realize were related. I read the book “The Plutonium Files” maybe 15 years ago- I was unaware of the connection between PFAS manufacturing in the US and the Manhattan Project.
I highly recommend watching the movie Dark Waters before you read this book for additional context as the movie covers the story of Parkersburg, WV, and this book focuses on Hoosick Falls, NY. The lessons from Parkersburg are essential pieces of information for the Hoosick Falls backstory and trajectory.
I highly recommend watching the movie Dark Waters before you read this book for additional context as the movie covers the story of Parkersburg, WV, and this book focuses on Hoosick Falls, NY. The lessons from Parkersburg are essential pieces of information for the Hoosick Falls backstory and trajectory.
July 23, 2025
When I first started reading this book earlier on in July, I wasn't really interested in it, but it really picks up after those initial sections. I don't know how long it must have taken Blake to interview and research for this project, but it is so well done. I loved the way Blake constructed the timeline of forever chemicals, and the way she highlights how damaging they are through anecdotal evidence. I didn't know much about this environmental issue, so this was a great read!
*4.25 stars
*4.25 stars
September 7, 2025
3.75
Good, good book!
This topic was super fascinating,
I was kind of unsure about the narrative style at first, there was a lot of people's names and descriptions of their personalities that I didn't super care for, but by the end I think the author pulled it off well.
Good, good book!
This topic was super fascinating,
I was kind of unsure about the narrative style at first, there was a lot of people's names and descriptions of their personalities that I didn't super care for, but by the end I think the author pulled it off well.
June 12, 2025
Terrifying and fascinating. It was hard to stop listening to the devastation and corruption that hit so close to home - literally - and affects my own health and that of my children. A worthwhile and engaging read. I won’t forget this one!
June 29, 2025
Great dive!
June 30, 2025
A 100% must read. A perfect narrative nonfiction book. I couldn't put it down. An incredibly sad journey that ends with some light at the end of the tunnel.
July 3, 2025
Ooooooooffffff.
August 3, 2025
Blake’s book is a detailed, comprehensive, chronological investigation into how synthetic PFAS chemicals polluted and contaminated town after town in America. It focuses on the dogged and determined individuals, who fought against chemical companies which delayed, obfuscated and denied the extent of their PFAS pollution.
Most of the narratives come from individuals concerned about the impact on their family and looking for ways to limit and reduce exposure to harmful chemicals.
‘How can they protect their families and communities from an insidious group of chemicals that permeates the bodies of all living beings from the moment of conception until death?’
‘They Poisoned The World’ charts the struggles, especially of the Hickey family, and repeatedly makes the point that responsibility and accountability for truth, information and protection should come from the chemical industry, and should not rely on individuals researching information to better protect themselves from dangerous forever chemicals which have been ‘grandfathered’ into legislation.
Blake notes that, ‘We live in a synthetic world. Our homes and workplaces are brimming with man-made materials. Our bodies are saturated with their chemical residue.’ PFAS chemicals have now been found to pollute on a global scale- from the oceans to the Arctic to Mount Everest. ‘They also pollute the bodies of virtually every person on the planet. Once inside us, they stay there like a ticking time bomb of disease.’
3M, Chemours, DuPont, and more, all come under the spotlight in this vital exposé- one which details the long history of the development and profits of these chemical companies, from the early 20th century, through the arms development of World War 2, through to the domestic sphere of the 1950s and 1960s which followed. ‘The push by companies like 3M to turn wartime innovations into peacetime profits would transform American life.’ All too often, the chemical giants became the main employer in US towns, causing whistleblowers and local impacted people to come under incredible pressure to tow the line and not to cause waves. Thankfully, in recent decades, these companies have now become infamous and synonymous with corporate malpractice and betrayal. More attention and more truth-telling has appeared through the efforts of campaigners and litigators. Public awareness has exploded with the likes of films like ‘Dark Waters’, ‘Erin Brockovich’, and others which highlight real life cases of pollution by chemical companies, as well as their efforts to hide the truth.
This isn’t a text then just about the struggles of towns and families in the US to force litigation to bring these companies in check. Blake’s book is the roadmap for countries which are behind on chemical regulation to understand the delaying tactics used by chemical companies when finally it is their turn to be ‘exposed’. Blake argues that companies rely on the delayed action from the public, as the public find it challenging and difficult to accept that a stalwart of a community could equally be responsible for polluting a town.
‘All too often, we respond to grave environmental threats with a kind of collective paralysis.’ Her argument is that speaking out and building local communities to safeguard and protect families becomes a duty for us all, even if it takes years and decades.
‘It is up to us to protect ourselves and make a safer future for our grandchildren and great-grandchildren, who will reap the consequences of the choices we make now.’ Now that we know that those who were charged with providing safe products and a safe environment, actively betrayed that trust, while making huge profits, means that that trust has been broken forever.
Blake outlines the many ‘household names’ like Teflon, Gore-Tex, ScotchGard and Tefal, which brought their chemicals into our homes. As an aside,it is interesting to note that on Tefal’s website in 2025, it states directly, ‘Tefal was one of the first manufacturers to eliminate PFOA from its non-stick coatings over a decade ago.’ It does not have the same transparency over its actions and behaviours over its 60 years history. ‘The synthetics revolution also brought thousands of new chemicals into American homes.’ Blake notes how profits became the focus over consumer safety by DuPont. ‘Teflon…would become revolutionary both for DuPont, which parlayed it into a billion-dollar-a-year business.’
Just like Big Tobacco, the chemical industry knew of the dangers of their products, but did little to safeguard and protect the public. ‘Up until this point, [1958] DuPont had avoided marketing Teflon for use in home kitchen products because of toxicity concerns.’
Parkersburg, West Virginia
Perhaps the most well-known toxicity story that emerges focuses on the Tennant family and their litigation against DuPont in the late 1990s, through the lawyer Rob Bilott. Following a court order, DuPont turned thousands of documents over to Bilott, who painstakingly went through them all.
‘Gradually, the entire horrifying story came into focus: DuPont and 3M had been studying the chemical [PFOA] for decades. They knew that it was toxic and that it was polluting drinking water and human blood thousands of miles away from its factories, but they had concealed most of these findings. The papers also showed that DuPont had used the landfill near the Tennants’ farm as part of an increasingly elaborate cover-up.’
‘They Poisoned The World’ also details how the chemical industry began to respond to the emerging litigation by their own PR machine, by holding ‘information sessions’, and by lobbying hard in congressional races and political action committees to limit chemical regulation and to attempt to obtain gag orders against Bilott. At the same time, they began to court public opinion by admitting that PFOA was present but that the levels were ‘safe’. ‘In late October 2000, a letter written largely by DuPont officials went out on Lubeck Public Service District letterhead. It informed residents that there was a chemical called C8, or PFOA, in the water, but claimed the levels were safe to drink.’
Flint, Michigan
The other famous case of the contamination crisis in Flint, Michigan is also addressed in Blake’s book. It is noted that President Obama in 2015 declared a state of emergency, but Obama also famously lost the trust of the public by failing to drink water supplied to him from Flint at a public meeting. Once public trust is lost, it never comes back. ‘All their lives, they had trusted that there were systems in place to protect them, and now that trust had been shattered.’
In 2016, the EPA finally unveiled new “lifetime health advisories” for PFOA and PFOS combined. ‘Suddenly, more than five million Americans in nineteen states and several U.S. territories were informed that their drinking water contained unsafe levels of these chemicals.’ In order to be better informed of the possible health impacts, many Americans began voluntary blood tests in order to find out the levels in their blood. Blood levels then began to appear on protest signs as public anger began to mount against the chemical companies.
The dangers of GenX
What campaigners constantly fight against is the seeming inability to regulate forever chemicals. By the time litigation reaches court, the chemical company has already stopped using that specific chemical and replaced it with shorter chain chemicals, like GenX, which means that the whole process of linking health impacts to exposure to the new chemical needs to start again.
‘In early June 2017, a North Carolina paper broke the news that more than two hundred thousand people downstream of the Chemours plant were drinking water heavily polluted with GenX.’
Campaigners need to have stamina and be aware that legal action against chemical companies can take years, by which time, those suffering health impacts often will have passed away and will never have their ‘day in court’. For the Hickey family, which is the thread in Blake’s book, their story began in 2010 and ‘finished’ in 2021- four years before the publication of this book. The impact on campaigners can be huge- from social ostracisation to personal and family pressures, to economic concerns. These all play into the hands of the chemical companies.
The first step to limit the level of chemical pollution and contamination is to ‘turn off the tap’, and ban the production and sale of PFAS products. Following that, extensive remediation is necessary, while the dangers of simple disposal are well known.
‘In 2023, the European Commission introduced a wholesale ban on the production and sale of PFAS and products containing them, the most sweeping chemical regulation in the bloc’s history….
Moreover, the methods used to clean up PFAS pollution often end up returning the chemicals to the environment instead. The landfills where we bury forever-chemical waste, for instance, simply belch them back into the air.’
We are discovering more and more previously unknown PFAS, and lesser studied ones are now ‘breaking through’ into public awareness. The extent of TFA pollution is incredibly shocking, continues today, and ‘may only be the tip of the iceberg.’
‘They Poisoned The World’ is then a breathtaking account, sadly both literally and figuratively. It offers hope though, that the long battle against those companies and bodies which pollute us, can be won. Now we know the industry’s playbook, we can be better informed when these strategies are used, as more PFAS pollution hotspots appear in communities around the globe.
“It shows just how much individual people and communities standing up and speaking out can do and the dramatic change they can put in motion,” he said. “It took us way too long to get here, but it’s happening.”
-Rob Bilott
Most of the narratives come from individuals concerned about the impact on their family and looking for ways to limit and reduce exposure to harmful chemicals.
‘How can they protect their families and communities from an insidious group of chemicals that permeates the bodies of all living beings from the moment of conception until death?’
‘They Poisoned The World’ charts the struggles, especially of the Hickey family, and repeatedly makes the point that responsibility and accountability for truth, information and protection should come from the chemical industry, and should not rely on individuals researching information to better protect themselves from dangerous forever chemicals which have been ‘grandfathered’ into legislation.
Blake notes that, ‘We live in a synthetic world. Our homes and workplaces are brimming with man-made materials. Our bodies are saturated with their chemical residue.’ PFAS chemicals have now been found to pollute on a global scale- from the oceans to the Arctic to Mount Everest. ‘They also pollute the bodies of virtually every person on the planet. Once inside us, they stay there like a ticking time bomb of disease.’
3M, Chemours, DuPont, and more, all come under the spotlight in this vital exposé- one which details the long history of the development and profits of these chemical companies, from the early 20th century, through the arms development of World War 2, through to the domestic sphere of the 1950s and 1960s which followed. ‘The push by companies like 3M to turn wartime innovations into peacetime profits would transform American life.’ All too often, the chemical giants became the main employer in US towns, causing whistleblowers and local impacted people to come under incredible pressure to tow the line and not to cause waves. Thankfully, in recent decades, these companies have now become infamous and synonymous with corporate malpractice and betrayal. More attention and more truth-telling has appeared through the efforts of campaigners and litigators. Public awareness has exploded with the likes of films like ‘Dark Waters’, ‘Erin Brockovich’, and others which highlight real life cases of pollution by chemical companies, as well as their efforts to hide the truth.
This isn’t a text then just about the struggles of towns and families in the US to force litigation to bring these companies in check. Blake’s book is the roadmap for countries which are behind on chemical regulation to understand the delaying tactics used by chemical companies when finally it is their turn to be ‘exposed’. Blake argues that companies rely on the delayed action from the public, as the public find it challenging and difficult to accept that a stalwart of a community could equally be responsible for polluting a town.
‘All too often, we respond to grave environmental threats with a kind of collective paralysis.’ Her argument is that speaking out and building local communities to safeguard and protect families becomes a duty for us all, even if it takes years and decades.
‘It is up to us to protect ourselves and make a safer future for our grandchildren and great-grandchildren, who will reap the consequences of the choices we make now.’ Now that we know that those who were charged with providing safe products and a safe environment, actively betrayed that trust, while making huge profits, means that that trust has been broken forever.
Blake outlines the many ‘household names’ like Teflon, Gore-Tex, ScotchGard and Tefal, which brought their chemicals into our homes. As an aside,it is interesting to note that on Tefal’s website in 2025, it states directly, ‘Tefal was one of the first manufacturers to eliminate PFOA from its non-stick coatings over a decade ago.’ It does not have the same transparency over its actions and behaviours over its 60 years history. ‘The synthetics revolution also brought thousands of new chemicals into American homes.’ Blake notes how profits became the focus over consumer safety by DuPont. ‘Teflon…would become revolutionary both for DuPont, which parlayed it into a billion-dollar-a-year business.’
Just like Big Tobacco, the chemical industry knew of the dangers of their products, but did little to safeguard and protect the public. ‘Up until this point, [1958] DuPont had avoided marketing Teflon for use in home kitchen products because of toxicity concerns.’
Parkersburg, West Virginia
Perhaps the most well-known toxicity story that emerges focuses on the Tennant family and their litigation against DuPont in the late 1990s, through the lawyer Rob Bilott. Following a court order, DuPont turned thousands of documents over to Bilott, who painstakingly went through them all.
‘Gradually, the entire horrifying story came into focus: DuPont and 3M had been studying the chemical [PFOA] for decades. They knew that it was toxic and that it was polluting drinking water and human blood thousands of miles away from its factories, but they had concealed most of these findings. The papers also showed that DuPont had used the landfill near the Tennants’ farm as part of an increasingly elaborate cover-up.’
‘They Poisoned The World’ also details how the chemical industry began to respond to the emerging litigation by their own PR machine, by holding ‘information sessions’, and by lobbying hard in congressional races and political action committees to limit chemical regulation and to attempt to obtain gag orders against Bilott. At the same time, they began to court public opinion by admitting that PFOA was present but that the levels were ‘safe’. ‘In late October 2000, a letter written largely by DuPont officials went out on Lubeck Public Service District letterhead. It informed residents that there was a chemical called C8, or PFOA, in the water, but claimed the levels were safe to drink.’
Flint, Michigan
The other famous case of the contamination crisis in Flint, Michigan is also addressed in Blake’s book. It is noted that President Obama in 2015 declared a state of emergency, but Obama also famously lost the trust of the public by failing to drink water supplied to him from Flint at a public meeting. Once public trust is lost, it never comes back. ‘All their lives, they had trusted that there were systems in place to protect them, and now that trust had been shattered.’
In 2016, the EPA finally unveiled new “lifetime health advisories” for PFOA and PFOS combined. ‘Suddenly, more than five million Americans in nineteen states and several U.S. territories were informed that their drinking water contained unsafe levels of these chemicals.’ In order to be better informed of the possible health impacts, many Americans began voluntary blood tests in order to find out the levels in their blood. Blood levels then began to appear on protest signs as public anger began to mount against the chemical companies.
The dangers of GenX
What campaigners constantly fight against is the seeming inability to regulate forever chemicals. By the time litigation reaches court, the chemical company has already stopped using that specific chemical and replaced it with shorter chain chemicals, like GenX, which means that the whole process of linking health impacts to exposure to the new chemical needs to start again.
‘In early June 2017, a North Carolina paper broke the news that more than two hundred thousand people downstream of the Chemours plant were drinking water heavily polluted with GenX.’
Campaigners need to have stamina and be aware that legal action against chemical companies can take years, by which time, those suffering health impacts often will have passed away and will never have their ‘day in court’. For the Hickey family, which is the thread in Blake’s book, their story began in 2010 and ‘finished’ in 2021- four years before the publication of this book. The impact on campaigners can be huge- from social ostracisation to personal and family pressures, to economic concerns. These all play into the hands of the chemical companies.
The first step to limit the level of chemical pollution and contamination is to ‘turn off the tap’, and ban the production and sale of PFAS products. Following that, extensive remediation is necessary, while the dangers of simple disposal are well known.
‘In 2023, the European Commission introduced a wholesale ban on the production and sale of PFAS and products containing them, the most sweeping chemical regulation in the bloc’s history….
Moreover, the methods used to clean up PFAS pollution often end up returning the chemicals to the environment instead. The landfills where we bury forever-chemical waste, for instance, simply belch them back into the air.’
We are discovering more and more previously unknown PFAS, and lesser studied ones are now ‘breaking through’ into public awareness. The extent of TFA pollution is incredibly shocking, continues today, and ‘may only be the tip of the iceberg.’
‘They Poisoned The World’ is then a breathtaking account, sadly both literally and figuratively. It offers hope though, that the long battle against those companies and bodies which pollute us, can be won. Now we know the industry’s playbook, we can be better informed when these strategies are used, as more PFAS pollution hotspots appear in communities around the globe.
“It shows just how much individual people and communities standing up and speaking out can do and the dramatic change they can put in motion,” he said. “It took us way too long to get here, but it’s happening.”
-Rob Bilott
August 18, 2025
This is well written but mostly feels like a retread of stories I already knew. Frustrating that the PFAS issue should be one of our top priorities for our generation and yet it’s just not getting the attention it deserves because of the state of our failed nation. Love to have an existential crisis instead of just the usual Sunday scaries!
August 25, 2025
An important book that will probably frustrate you when you think of how our bodies are being harmed for the sake of profits. Anyone who drinks water / lives near water / cares about our future should pick this up.
July 31, 2025
Edit: I’ve finally figured it out. I always see reviews saying, “this book really should have just been a long article?” and I’m always like what?? Fr?? It’s a book! But I’m realizing that’s exactly how I felt about this book.
I feel bad rating this a three bc it is actually a good book! And I would suggest it!
But I guess I was hoping for more of a deep dive into like what’s happening in our bodies and the subtitle made me feel like that’s what I was getting but it wasn’t. It was still quite engaging and I enjoyed it but as someone who read that one lawyers book, she took a very long time summarizing that whole story that I had already read a book on lol but it was intriguing to read another story of people fighting the same thing.
I feel bad rating this a three bc it is actually a good book! And I would suggest it!
But I guess I was hoping for more of a deep dive into like what’s happening in our bodies and the subtitle made me feel like that’s what I was getting but it wasn’t. It was still quite engaging and I enjoyed it but as someone who read that one lawyers book, she took a very long time summarizing that whole story that I had already read a book on lol but it was intriguing to read another story of people fighting the same thing.
May 29, 2025
About ten years ago, I read an article in the New York Times Magazine about an environmental lawyer named Rob Bilott and his work battling chemical giant DuPont. That article (which can be found here, hopefully not paywalled) stuck with me, less for the idea of “forever chemicals” that cause health problems from cancer to birth defects (although that is still terrifying) than the story of a powerful company which knew the dangers of its product, yet embarked on a massive campaign to conceal the truth, delude the public, avoid responsibility, and above all, protect their bottom line.
Mariah Blake’s “They Poisoned the World” is a continuation of that story, which is hardly a new one: we’ve heard it with tobacco companies, drug companies, aerospace companies and many others. Blake splits her narrative into two interwoven sections. One details the history of Teflon (the manufacture of which is a major source of forever chemicals, which fall into the categories of PFOAs, PFAS, and other acronyms), the companies involved in its manufacture (primarily DuPont, but also others like Saint-Gobain), the rising awareness of health risks associated with these chemicals, and the untold amounts of money spent to keep it quiet. It’s a classic story of who-knew-what-when, and none of it looks good for the companies involved. Black makes no effort to show DuPont-et-al in any kind of a sympathetic light; it’s clear that to her, their actions are unethical, immoral, and criminal at a scale rarely seen, and it’s hard to disagree with her. The title of her book is well-chosen.
The other half of the story focuses on the human cost of forever chemicals and the only thing so far that has held these polluters to account: persistent public pressure and the activism of ordinary people. She tells the story of Hoosick Falls, NY, primarily through the Hickey family: their patriarch’s agonizing death from cancer and son Michael’s journey to becoming an activist and advocate for his community. Rob Billot comes up as well, essentially retelling the story I first read in the NYT but continuing on another decade to his more recent work trying to get these companies to take responsibility for the harm they have caused, all in pursuit of the almighty dollar.
There is, unfortunately, no easy or clear-cut solution to this problem. There are thousands if not millions of varieties of forever chemicals, and no place on earth remains uncontaminated. The big manufacturing companies will do anything to protect themselves and their profits, and have a playbook of startlingly successful tactics to avoid responsibility as long as possible. These chemicals are unsafe at pretty much any level, and were the average person to take a blood test detecting their presence in the body, the numbers would likely be shocking. This is an important book, especially in America with the current administration determined to roll back regulations and strip protections from the people and communities most at risk—which, really, is all of us. One complaint about this book is that it focuses so much on the United States at the expense of the rest of the world, but another would be the lack of ways forward. That’s hardly Blake’s fault; the only thing to do is keep pressuring elected officials, keep demanding accountability, and not lose hope that this situation can change as other environmental disasters have. But hope can be hard to find, especially when we have no choice but to live in a poisoned world.
Mariah Blake’s “They Poisoned the World” is a continuation of that story, which is hardly a new one: we’ve heard it with tobacco companies, drug companies, aerospace companies and many others. Blake splits her narrative into two interwoven sections. One details the history of Teflon (the manufacture of which is a major source of forever chemicals, which fall into the categories of PFOAs, PFAS, and other acronyms), the companies involved in its manufacture (primarily DuPont, but also others like Saint-Gobain), the rising awareness of health risks associated with these chemicals, and the untold amounts of money spent to keep it quiet. It’s a classic story of who-knew-what-when, and none of it looks good for the companies involved. Black makes no effort to show DuPont-et-al in any kind of a sympathetic light; it’s clear that to her, their actions are unethical, immoral, and criminal at a scale rarely seen, and it’s hard to disagree with her. The title of her book is well-chosen.
The other half of the story focuses on the human cost of forever chemicals and the only thing so far that has held these polluters to account: persistent public pressure and the activism of ordinary people. She tells the story of Hoosick Falls, NY, primarily through the Hickey family: their patriarch’s agonizing death from cancer and son Michael’s journey to becoming an activist and advocate for his community. Rob Billot comes up as well, essentially retelling the story I first read in the NYT but continuing on another decade to his more recent work trying to get these companies to take responsibility for the harm they have caused, all in pursuit of the almighty dollar.
There is, unfortunately, no easy or clear-cut solution to this problem. There are thousands if not millions of varieties of forever chemicals, and no place on earth remains uncontaminated. The big manufacturing companies will do anything to protect themselves and their profits, and have a playbook of startlingly successful tactics to avoid responsibility as long as possible. These chemicals are unsafe at pretty much any level, and were the average person to take a blood test detecting their presence in the body, the numbers would likely be shocking. This is an important book, especially in America with the current administration determined to roll back regulations and strip protections from the people and communities most at risk—which, really, is all of us. One complaint about this book is that it focuses so much on the United States at the expense of the rest of the world, but another would be the lack of ways forward. That’s hardly Blake’s fault; the only thing to do is keep pressuring elected officials, keep demanding accountability, and not lose hope that this situation can change as other environmental disasters have. But hope can be hard to find, especially when we have no choice but to live in a poisoned world.
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