Poisoning the Well

How Forever Chemicals Contaminated America

By: Sharon Udasin, Rachel Frazin

Narrated by: Rebecca Stern

This is the shocking true-life story of how PFAS—a set of toxic chemicals most people have never heard of—poisoned the entire country. Based on original, shoe-leather reporting in four highly contaminated towns and damning documents from the polluters’ own files, Poisoning the Well traces an ugly history of corporate greed and devastation of human lives.

We learn that PFAS, the ‘forever chemicals’ found in everyday products, from cooking pans to mascara, are coursing through the veins of 97% of Americans. We witness the pain of families who lost sisters and daughters, cousins and neighbors after PFAS leached into their drinking water. We discover evidence that the makers of forever chemicals may have known for decades about the deadly risks of their products—because their own scientists have been documenting these dangers since the 1960s. And we see the failure of our government, time after time, to provide basic protections to its citizens.

It is impossible to read this searing exposé without being infuriated by the recklessness of corporate America. But readers will also be awed by the spirit of ordinary people who, while fighting for their own lives, took it upon themselves to fix a broken regulatory system. Heart-wrenching and maddening, stirring and uplifting, Poisoning the Well offers a unique window into the worst and best of human nature. It is essential reading for anyone concerned about the unfettered power of industry and the invisible threat it poses to the health of the nation—and to each of us.

©2025 Sharon Udasin and Rachel Frazin (P)2025 Dreamscape Media

An important piece of investigative work that affects us all.

Everyone has heard of Teflon and Gore-Tex. When these were originally developed, no one knew that these products would contain chemicals that end up in our bloodstream and get the name forever chemicals because of how long it takes to breakdown…some of which won’t be in our lifetime! Some areas have so much of it, that it becomes toxic to our bodies and this book covers some of the devastation some families experienced being exposed to these forever chemicals in high doses for a prolonged period of time. I am so glad we have a filtration system in our house that filters PFAS, but many do not. It’s concerning that these chemicals build up in our blood over time and accumulate and do not break down. This is an eye-opening expose that everyone should read.

Essential reading fot humans

How we are all poisoned by an unregulated chemical industry, with PFAS and many other related so-called forever chemicals. In our water, food, and many products we use daily.