PFAS in Veterinary Surgical Drapes And Animal Hospital Laundering Systems

New evidence shows fluorinated medical fabrics used in animal hospitals may be releasing PFAS into laundry wastewater that enters public sewer systems

Sunday, November 16, 2025 - Veterinary clinics and animal hospitals rely on surgical drapes, exam table covers, and protective pads to keep procedures clean and sanitary, but recent testing suggests these same materials may be contributing to PFAS contamination in ways few people expected. Many of these fabrics are treated with fluorinated repellents that prevent blood, fluids, and disinfectants from soaking through. When these items are laundered in high-volume washers, the heat and agitation pull PFAS residues out of the fabric and into wastewater that flows directly into municipal drains. Staff at busy veterinary facilities often wash dozens of loads each day, which means the cumulative impact may be larger than anyone realized. As awareness grows about PFAS cancer risk in both human and animal populations, communities are starting to question whether the routine cleaning practices in animal hospitals could be silently adding to PFAS levels in local water systems. Because PFAS drinking-water standards are getting tighter across the country, even small but constant sources are becoming important to track. Many pet owners who assume that veterinary facilities are low-risk in terms of pollution may be surprised to learn that medical textiles are an overlooked source of persistent chemical shedding.

According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, PFAS chemicals are extremely resistant to heat, detergents, and normal laundering cycles, which allows them to move easily from fabric into water. Tests of wastewater from medical and laboratory laundry services have shown measurable levels of PFAS even when the washed items appeared clean or lightly used. Animal hospitals that wash absorbent pads, waterproof covers, or disposable-style drapes are likely washing items coated with the same types of fluorinated barriers used in human healthcare. Because these facilities typically send their wastewater into standard city sewer systems, the PFAS travels through pipelines into treatment plants that are not designed to remove synthetic chemicals. As PFAS drinking-water standards tighten, utilities are beginning to monitor upstream sources more closely, including hospitals, laboratories, and now veterinary facilities. Some states are exploring whether fluorine-free medical textiles should become standard to reduce the amount of chemical runoff entering public wastewater. Environmental researchers have also suggested pre-wash filters or separate disposal systems for heavily treated fabrics. Without changes, small animal clinics may contribute more to PFAS contamination than previously understood, especially in areas with many veterinary practices clustered together.

Over the next few years, veterinary medicine may face growing pressure to update its textile and laundry practices as part of nationwide PFAS reduction efforts. The shift toward fluorine-free surgical drapes and table covers is likely to accelerate as manufacturers respond to stricter PFAS drinking-water standards and increasing concern about long-lasting pollution. Animal hospitals may install pre-treatment filters, switch to disposable PFAS-free materials, or outsource laundry to facilities equipped with PFAS capture systems. Communities will also want more transparency about the chemicals used in medical textiles, especially in regions where wastewater feeds into drinking-water sources.

More Recent Federal Government Water Contamination Lawsuit News:

• PFAS From Waterproof Sheet Music Covers Used In School Band Rooms | 11/16/2025
• PFAS Identified In Pickleball And Tennis Court Sealants | 11/16/2025
• PFAS Found In Household Carpet Steam Cleaner Wastewater | 11/13/2025
• PFAS Detected In Airport Pavement De-Icing Agents | 11/13/2025
• PFAS Released From Solar Farm Vegetation Control Herbicides | 11/13/2025
• Theater Smoke Machines Were Found To Be Contaminated With PFAS From Fluorinated Glycol Fluids | 10/12/2025
• PFAS Found In Car Wash Wax Additives That Go Into City Drainage Systems | 10/12/2025
• PFAS Residues Stay In Industrial 3D Printing Waste Streams And Coolant Fluids | 10/12/2025
• PFAS Leached From Waterproof Drone Coatings And Into Wetland Test Sites | 10/10/2025
• PFAS Found In Artificial Snow At Ski Resorts | 10/10/2025
• PFAS Found In Aquatic Veterinary Products Used In Fish Hatcheries | 10/10/2025
• PFAS Migration Documented In Seawater Intrusion Zones Along Coastal Aquifers | 10/8/2025
• PFAS Found In Recycled Asphalt Used To Pave Rural Roads | 10/8/2025
• PFAS Found In Ice Rinks Because Artificial Chillants Are Leaching Into Meltwater Systems | 10/8/2025
• Rain Gardens Made To Control Stormwater Have Been Shown To Hold Onto PFAS And Let It Out Slowly | 10/7/2025
• PFAS Found In Steam Condensate From Power Plant Cooling Towers | 10/7/2025
• PFAS Found In Cemetery Runoff That Is Leaching Into Nearby Groundwater | 10/7/2025
• Car-Wash Water Recycling Loops Show PFAS Buildup and Periodic Discharge to Sewers | 9/9/2025
• Private Septic Systems Create PFAS Plumes Migrating to Lakes and Shallow Wells | 9/9/2025
• Industrial Laundry Effluent from Treated Workwear Overloads POTWs with PFAS | 9/9/2025
• Snowmelt Near Airports Delivers PFAS Pulses to Streams Each Spring | 9/9/2025
• PFAS Breakthrough in Point-of-Use Anion-Exchange--But Spent Resin Disposal Risks Backsliding | 9/9/2025
• Construction Dewatering Pumps PFAS-Laden Groundwater into Urban Storm Networks | 9/9/2025
• Geothermal Plant Condensate and Brine Handling Implicated in Local PFAS Water Detections | 9/8/2025
• Textile Dyeing and Finishing Effluents Drive PFAS Spikes at Downstream Intakes | 9/8/2025
• Recirculating Aquaculture Systems Accumulate PFAS Releasing Concentrated Effluent to Sewers | 9/8/2025
• Island Rainwater-Cistern Communities Report PFAS in Roof-Collected Potable Supplies | 9/6/2025
• Riverbank Filtration Facilities Observe PFAS Genealogies Bypassing Natural Attenuation | 9/6/2025
• Road De-Icing Brines Identified as Seasonal PFAS Source in Municipal Runoff | 9/6/2025
• Rural Schools With Independent Wells Found to Have Unmonitored PFAS Contamination | 8/20/2025
• PFAS Detected in Water Used in Craft Beverage Production | 8/20/2025
• PFAS Concentrations Increase in Drinking Water After Wildfires Burn Contaminated Areas | 8/20/2025
• Stormwater Injection Wells Identified as PFAS Contamination Pathways | 8/19/2025
• Veterinary Clinics Near Airports Show PFAS in Tap Water Used on Animals | 8/19/2025
• PFAS Found in Water Filters After Marketed As PFAS-Free | 8/19/2025
• There Is Proof That PFAS Can Move Through Old Oil And Gas Well Casings | 8/17/2025
• PFAS Chemicals Were Found In Drinking Water Near Places Where Solar Panels Are Made For Industry | 8/17/2025
• Flooding In Agricultural Areas During Certain Times Of The Year Lets PFAS Leak Into Aquifers More Easily | 8/17/2025
• Urban Rooftop Runoff May Contain PFAS Once It Rains | 8/14/2025
• PFAS Is In Ocean Water That Has Been Desalinated And Supplied To Coastal Towns | 8/14/2025
• Glacier Meltwater Is Polluting Reservoirs In The Western United States With PFAS | 8/14/2025
• High PFAS Exposure Found in Communities Using Aquifer Recharge From Contaminated Sources | 7/23/2025
• PFAS in Unregulated Water Sources Affect Mobile Home Parks More Than Other Places | 7/23/2025
• PFAS Compounds Stay In Municipal Biosolids That Are Used As Fertilizer | 7/23/2025
• Legal Loopholes Allow PFAS Disposal That Risks Water Table Contamination | 7/23/2025
• PFAS Spread Documented In River Systems Downstream From Fire Training Facilities | 7/23/2025
• Fish Hatcheries Using PFAS-Contaminated Water Raise Food Chain Safety Concerns | 7/23/2025
• New Research Links PFAS in Drinking Water to Reduced Childhood Vaccine Effectiveness | 7/22/2025
• Military Base Decommissioning Projects Uncover Widespread PFAS Groundwater Contamination | 7/22/2025
• High PFAS Levels Found in Private Wells Near Landfills and Recycling Centers | 7/20/2025
• PFAS Leaching From Artificial Turf Into Urban Stormwater Systems | 7/20/2025
• PFAS Detected in Treated Wastewater Reused for Agricultural Irrigation | 7/20/2025
• Water From Emergency Relief Tanks Sent To Disaster Areas Had PFAS In It | 6/20/2025
• PFAS Fingerprinting Technology Can Find Sources Of Contamination In Drinking Water That Are Specific To Certain Industries | 6/20/2025
• State Universities Look At PFAS In Campus Water As Students Complain About Health Issues | 6/20/2025
• PFAS Treatment System Costs Are Making Suburban Water Utilities Raise Their Rates | 6/18/2025
• PFAS Contamination Spreads When Old Pipe Coatings Are Used To Fix Water Mains | 6/18/2025
• Homeowners Sue Builders For Putting In Plastic Plumbing Fixtures That Contain PFAS | 6/18/2025
• PFAS Found in Drinking Water Used in U.S. School Lunch Programs | 6/16/2025
• Researchers Develop PFAS-Absorbing Filters Using Mushroom Mycelium | 6/16/2025
• New EPA Rule Mandates Real-Time PFAS Monitoring in Municipal Water Systems by 2026 | 6/16/2025
• PFAS-Contaminated Irrigation Water Puts The Safety Of Home-Grown Food At Risk | 6/15/2025
• Federal Housing Complexes Have Been Found To Have High Levels Of PFAS In Their Tap Water | 6/15/2025
• PFAS Found in U.S. Bottled Water Brands Even Though They Say They Are Clean | 6/15/2025
• Older Fire Stations Designed Before 1990 Could Have Drains, Gear Lockers, and PFAS Floors | 5/20/2025
• Accidents Involving Firefighting Foam During Drills Blamed For Contaminating Municipal Water Systems With PFAS | 5/20/2025
• Insufficient Federal PFAS Health Monitoring Leaves Firefighters Ignorant Of Long-Term Cancer Risk | 5/20/2025
• Runoff From Firefighting Foam Creates Environmental Risk In Nearby Streams and Aquifers | 5/18/2025
• Class Action Lawsuit Started On Behalf of Children Diagnosed with PFAS-Related Illnesses for Firefighters | 5/18/2025
• PFAS Foam Ban Directs Fire Departments Towards Incomplete and Expensive Transitions | 5/18/2025
• Nationwide Study Reveals PFAS Contamination in More than 60% of Fire Training Ponds | 5/15/2025
• Firehouse Kitchens and Dorms Might be Secondary PFAS Exposure Sites | 5/15/2025
• PFAS Settlements Might Not Cover Complete Treatment Cost for Firefighter-Linked Cancer Clusters | 5/15/2025
• Rural Firefighters Sue Regarding Cancer Linked to Unchecked PFAS Foam Use | 5/13/2025
• Fire Station Soils Reveal Long-Term AFFF Leaching Into Groundwater | 5/13/2025
• Airport Crash Rescue Units Are Among the Most Heavily Exposed to Harmful Firefighting Chemicals | 5/13/2025
• New Blood Testing for Firefighters Might Indicate PFAS Exposure Background | 4/21/2025
• PFAS Contamination Lawsuits Target Fire Foam Manufacturers Over False Safety Claims | 4/21/2025
• Fire Academy Recruits Might Come Across Risky PFAS Levels During Training | 4/21/2025
• Insurance Companies Review Fire Department Coverage Using Legacy PFAS Foam | 4/21/2025
• Community Wells Close to Fire Training Ground Show Years of Unchecked PFAS Contamination | 4/21/2025
• Research Connects Increased Bladder Cancer Rates to Long-Term AFFF Exposure in Firefighters | 4/21/2025
• AFFF Foam and the Unspoken Risk at Fire Department Washing Stations | 4/20/2025
• Volunteer Firefighters Often Lack Protective Gear Against PFAS Exposure | 4/20/2025
• Retired Firefighters Demand Federal Payment for Cancer Cases Linked to PFAS | 4/20/2025
• Urban Firefighting Training Ground Named as PFAS Hotspot | 4/20/2025
• Practices for PFAS Foam Disposal Could Be Generating Secondary Water Contamination Risk | 4/20/2025
• Legacy PFAS Foam Supplies Create Unfair Risk for Volunteer Fire Departments | 4/20/2025
• How Climate Change Is Complicating PFAS Contamination | 3/15/2025
• Youngsters Consuming Contaminated School Water | 3/15/2025
• PFAS Are Still Legal Despite Their Known Hazards | 3/15/2025
• How successfully do home water filtration systems remove PFAS | 3/11/2025
• The American Military's Part in Efforts at PFAS Remedial Action | 3/11/2025
• Seafood Safety And PFAS In The Fishing Industry | 3/11/2025
• How PFAS Affects Fertility and Reproductive Health | 3/10/2025
• The Financial Cost Of PFAS Contamination Of Local Water Supplies | 3/10/2025
• Home Items Contributing to PFAS Water Contamination | 3/10/2025
• Effects of PFAS Contamination on Indigenous People | 3/9/2025
• Exposure to PFAS Chemicals And The Relationship to Autoimmune Diseases | 3/9/2025
• Landfills' Part in PFAS Contamination of Groundwater | 3/9/2025
• Firefighters Have Developed Cancer From Using Firefighting Foam | 11/21/2022
• Firefighters Have Developed Cancer From Using Firefighting Foam | 11/21/2022
• Part Two of Equipment Degreasers Containing Trichloroethylene Is At The Center Of The US Military's Water Contamination Crisis | 11/20/2022
• Equipment Degreasers Containing Trichloroethylene Is At The Center Of The US Military's Water Contamination Crisis Part One | 11/20/2022
• Cancer Clusters May Occur Where PFAS Forever Chemical Are Manufacturered Or Used | 11/17/2022
• Tap Water Kidney Cancer Could Be Likely Caused By PFAS Chemical Contaminated | 11/17/2022
• Newborn Babies Are Packed With PFAS Forever Chemicals | 11/14/2022
• California Sues 3M And Others For Water Contamination From Firefighting Foam | 11/13/2022
• PFAS Chemicals Found In Tap Water Of Communities Surrounding 400 Military Bases And Airports | 11/12/2022
• Burn Pits And Waste Disposal At Military Bases Contributed To Tap Water Pollution And Cancer | 11/8/2022
• Firefighting Foam Settlements Will Set A Precedent For PFAS Water Contamination Lawsuits In The Future | 10/31/2022
• The Clean Water Act Failed To Protect People From PFAS Forever Chemicals In Americas Waterways | 10/25/2022
• People With Cancer May Hold 3M And Others Financially Accountable For Causing Their Disease And Death | 10/23/2022
• PFAS Water Contamination May Be Greatest On And Near US Military Installations That Use Firefighting Foam | 10/13/2022
• EWG Reports Multiple Studies Have Found PFAS Chemicals In Umbilical Cord Blood of Newborn Babies | 10/3/2022
• PFAS Water Contamination May Have Contaminated Every Military Base That Used Firefighting Foam | 10/2/2022
• PFAS Chemicals Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances In Childrens Clothing May Cause Cancer And Other Health Problems | 9/28/2022
• State Municipal Governments Must Tighten Water Safety Standards | 9/20/2022
• Water Contamination Is The Invisible Enemy At Military Bases | 9/20/2022
• PFAS Chemical Contamination Is Absolutely Everywhere Says A Prominent Environmental Chemist | 9/13/2022
• The US Air Force Identifies PFAS Chemicals From Firefighting Foam Contaminated Several Military Water Supplies | 9/12/2022
• The EPA Undertests and Underreports Levels of PFAS Forever Chemicals In Drinking Water | 8/1/2022
• Municipal Government Are On The Front Line In Fighting Local Tap Water Contamination | 7/27/2022
• PFAS Forever Chemical Are Not Diluted With Water And Leech Into The Nearest Water System Every Time It Rains | 7/17/2022
• Bottled Water Safety Is Getting The Attention of Lawmakers Looking to Reduce PFAS Forever Chemical In The Water Supply | 7/14/2022
• Passage of The Camp Lejeune Justice Act Could Take Months Longer Than Expected | 7/12/2022
• Most Marines And Civilians That Lived And Worked in The Area Are Unaware That Drinking Tap Water Caused Their Cancer | 7/9/2022
• Millions Who Lived On or Near Camp Lejeune And Other Military Bases Have Developed A Variety of Deadly Diseases | 7/6/2022
• A CDC Study Links Drinking Camp Lejeune Tap Water With Serious Birth Defects | 7/5/2022
• The EPA Has Lowered Its Tolerance For Acceptable Levels Of PFAS Forever Chemicals In Municipal Drinking Water To Nearly Zero | 6/27/2022
• Marine Combat Survivors Returned Home To Face A Silent But Deadly Enemy In Camp Lejeune Water Contamination | 6/23/2022
• The Camp Lejeune Justice Act Has Passed The Senate And Awaits The Signature of the President | 6/20/2022
• Massachusetts AG Sues 3M And Others For Destroying The Local Drinking Water Systems With PFAS Forever Chemicals | 6/16/2022
• 12 More Military Bases Show Elevated Levels Of PFAS Forever Chemicals | 6/15/2022
• Dry Cleaning Chemicals Are Likely Carcinogenic According To The WHO | 6/13/2022
• Water Contamination Legislation Should Be A Higher Priority Than Gun Control | 6/10/2022
• Cancer Clusters Expose Dry Cleaning Solution As A Potential Source Of Tap Water Contamination | 6/8/2022
• Farms Near The Nation's 400 Military Bases Are Raising Crops And Livestock That Are Contaminated With PFAS Forever Chemicals | 6/6/2022
• There Are Many Ways To Ingest Carcinogenic PFAS Forever Chemical Besides Drinking Tap Water | 6/2/2022
• Thousands of Children Died At Camp Lejeune From Leukemia Because Their Mother Drank Tap Water While Pregnant | 5/31/2022
• Camp Lejeune Marine Veterans, Civilian Employees, And Their Families Should Undergo Cancer Testing | 5/30/2022
• Efforts To Remediate Troubled Tap Water Near Air Force Bases Is Too Little Too Late | 5/29/2022
• The Honoring Our Pact Act Will Acknowledge That Latent Cancers Are Service Related | 5/26/2022
• Water Contamination at Camp Lejeune Caused Stillborn Baby Deaths And Other Child Deaths That Were Left Unrecorded | 5/25/2022
• Camp Lejeune Water Contamination Has Helped To Shed Light On A Global Health Catastrophy | 5/23/2022
• Military Veterans From Camp Lejeune May Now File Suit Against The Department of Defense For Causing Their Family Illnesses | 5/20/2022
• Florida Senator Rubio Alleges The Government Covered Up Their Camp Lejeune Water Contamination Crimes And Must Be Held Accountable In A Court of Law | 5/18/2022
• The US Congress Has Known Since 2010 That The Drinking Water At Camp Lejeune Was Killing Marines And Their Families | 5/17/2022
• Marines From Camp Lejeune That Have Lost Children To Cancer From Toxic Forever Chemical Exposure Are Due Their Day In Court | 5/16/2022
• A Camp Lejeune Cemetary Is Called Baby Heaven Because So Many Children Have Died From Toxic Drinking Water | 5/11/2022
• One By One Each State, Municipality, And Other Government Sub-divisions Are Suing The Manufacturers of PFAS Forever Chemicals | 5/10/2022
• Firefighters With Prostate Cancer Sue 3M And Others For Failing To Warn Them | 5/7/2022
• Children Of Military Service Members May Have Been Harmed The Most By PFAS Forever Chemicals | 5/5/2022
• The City Of Portsmouth Files Suit Against 3M and Others For Contaminating The Ohio River | 5/3/2022
• More Legislation Is On The Way That Will Compensate Military Veterans And Firefighters Who Have Developed Job-Related Illnesses | 4/27/2022
• Another Lawsuit Filed Against a Municipal Drinking Water Treatment Plant For Being Polluted With Forever Chemicals | 4/25/2022
• Lawmakers Address Toxic PFAS Forever Chemicals By Writing Legislation That Is Pending Becoming Law | 4/22/2022
• One Study Finds Carcinogenic PFAS Chemicals Bioaccumulate In Beef And Dairy Products | 4/21/2022
• A Local Dry Cleaning Company May Have Polluted the Camp Lejeune Water Treatment Facilities With PFAS Forever Chemicals | 4/19/2022
• Burn Pits Are Identified As A Source Of Military Installation Drinking Water Contamination | 4/18/2022
• Young Families Exposed To Toxic Chemicals Are Fighting Back | 4/15/2022
• Cancer Clusters Indicate PFAS Forever Chemical Contamination | 4/14/2022
• 98% Of Americans Test Positive For Toxic Levels of Forever Chemicals | 4/13/2022
• Lawsuits Seek Lump Sum Monetary Compensation For Cancer And Birth Defects From Drinking Contaminated Drinking Water | 4/11/2022
• Studies Conclude That Unborn Children Were Injured When Pregnant Mothers Drank Contaminated Tap Water | 4/8/2022
• 3M To Be Held Accountable For Selling Products That Contain Forever Chemicals Claiming They Were Safe | 4/4/2022
• Mothers That Drink Tap Water During Pregnancy Risk Having Children Born With Birth Defects | 3/30/2022
• Elsworth Air Force Base Is Attempting To Provide Free Clean Water To Local Residents Poisoned By PFAS Chemicals | 3/28/2022
• Military Veterans Are Protesting To Draw Attention To Toxic Burn Pits And The Carcinogenic Firefighting Foam Used To Extinguish The Fires | 3/25/2022
• The Closing Of Military Bases Exposed Toxic Burn Pits And Forever Chemicals in Firefighting Foam | 3/23/2022
• Politicians Agree Camp Lejeune Service Members And Their Families Deserve The Right To Sue The Federal Government | 3/22/2022
• Camp Lejeune Water Contamination Sickened Thousands Of Young Military Families With Terminal Illnesses | 3/21/2022
• Lawmakers Have More Evidence To Help Water Contamination Cancer Families Get Their Day In Court | 3/17/2022
• The Staggering Scope Of Firefighting Foam Water Contamination | 3/14/2022
• The EPA Allocates A Record Amount of Money To Fix Lead Drinking Water Pipes Servicing Low-Income Communities | 3/10/2022
• The EPA Allocates A Record Amount of Money To Fix Lead Drinking Water Pipes Servicing Low-Income Communities | 3/10/2022
• Children Living Near Military Bases and Firefighting Stations Could Be At Risk Of Developing Cancer From The Drinking Water | 3/7/2022
• Camp Lejeune Toxic Water Survivors Could Get Their Day In Court | 3/6/2022
• Camp Lejeune Justice Act Is One Step Closer To Becoming A Reality | 3/5/2022
• County Governments Are Suing 3M For Failing To Warn Them of Forever Chemicals In Firefighting Foam | 3/4/2022
• Veterans Who Love Their Country Gathered In Kentucky To Insist The Government Do The Right Thing | 3/3/2022
• Ground-Water Contamination At Military Installation Caused Cancer In Thousands of Veterans | 3/2/2022
• Private Homeowners and Renters Are Largely Unaware Of the Toxic Chemical That Contaminate Their Everyday Drinking Wellwater | 3/1/2022
• Individuals and Families Should Test The Drinking Water For Carcinogenic Chemical Contamination | 2/28/2022

Let Our Water Contamination Attorneys Help You

Our attorneys specialize in holding large corporations accountable when they've placed profits ahead of safety. Through settlements and winning verdicts, our attorneys have obtained millions for our clients. Let us help you today.

Lawsuits for PFAS Contaminated Drinking Water

Filing a lawsuit will allow you to hold the federal government accountable for damage it has caused you or a loved one, while also providing real compensation for your medical expenses, suffering and loss. Contact us today for a free consultation.