The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced plans to regulate toxic man-made chemicals that pose major health risks to millions of Americans but are still commonly used in products such as dental floss, food packaging, paints, oil, clothing, non-stick cookware, and cleaning supplies.

EPA Administrator Michael S. Regan announced the planned comprehensive Strategic Roadmap to combat perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substance (PFAS) contamination nationwide on Monday.

The EPA’s initiative includes a timeline for enforcing aggressive drinking water limits for PFAS. It will also incorporate a new national testing strategy requiring PFAS manufacturers to provide toxicity data and formation of categories of PFAS chemicals to the EPA.

The EPA will examine past government actions deemed “insufficiently protective” against PFAS.

Urgency to act has grown as more research shows the extensive reach of PFAS, a class of more than 4,000 man-made chemicals that don’t break down in the environment, earning them the nickname of “forever chemicals.”

Data obtained by The Guardian newspaper shows the EPA has identified more than 120,000 facilities across the country where people may be exposed to these toxic “forever chemicals." That's four times the number previously reported.

According to The Guardian, the EPA describes its list as “facilities in industries that may be handling PFAS.” Experts say people living near these facilities are likely exposed to these dangerous chemicals, some at high levels.

Data gathered by the Environmental Working Group organization shows nearly 3,000 sites across the country confirmed to be contaminated by PFAS.

People can be exposed to the chemicals through contaminated drinking water, food, air, or through commercial products made with PFAS.

Some of the biggest polluters include the Department of Defense and chemical companies that manufacture the chemicals, like Chemours, 3M, and Dupont.

Exposure to the chemicals has been linked to certain cancers, weakened immunity, thyroid disease, and other health issues.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has reported that most people in the U.S. have been exposed to the chemicals which can be detected in their blood.

The EPA will provide a timeline for aggressive drinking water limits of PFAS and implement new national testing strategies requiring PFAS manufacturers to provide toxicity data and the formation of categories of PFAS chemicals to the EPA.

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