Contaminated: The Carpet Industry's Toxic Legacy

Contaminated: The Carpet Industry's Toxic Legacy

February 13, 2026 · 55 min

About this episode

This episode investigates the impact of PFAS chemicals from stain-resistant carpets on the environment and health in parts of the southeastern United States.

How did PFAS chemicals once used in popular stain-resistant carpets end up in the water and environment in parts of Georgia, Alabama and South Carolina? A collaborative investigation among FRONTLINE, The Associated Press, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, The Post and Courier and AL.com investigates what happened with these forever chemicals and the ongoing health impacts.

People in this episode

Host: FRONTLINE

Topics covered

Keywords

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: The Associated Press, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, The Post and Courier, AL.com

Products: PFAS chemicals

Places: Georgia, Alabama, South Carolina

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