The rapid growth of AI is fueling a surge in datacenters, raising alarms among health advocates and regulators about pollution from PFAS, or "forever chemicals," used in critical cooling systems.
October 4, 2025
Source:
NBC News
AI Boom Sparks Environmental Concerns
The global AI boom, led by tech giants like Google, Microsoft, and Amazon, is fueling an unprecedented expansion of datacenters. But this growth is casting a new shadow on their environmental impact, as advocates and regulators raise alarms over the use of PFAS "forever chemicals" in cooling systems.
These massive facilities, critical for powering AI and cloud computing, require constant cooling to prevent servers from overheating. Many rely on refrigerant gases, known as f-gases, that contain per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS)—a group of about 16,000 synthetic chemicals known for their extreme persistence in the environment.
Regulatory Scrutiny Begins
The issue has gained significant attention, prompting the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to act. In September 2025, the agency announced it would begin tracking and prioritizing reviews of PFAS use in data centers, acknowledging a lack of sufficient data on their long-term effects.
According to a report from Inside Climate News, health advocates argue that this area has been "dangerously understudied," posing potential risks to workers, supply chains, and communities near these sprawling facilities.
Keep up with the story. Subscribe to the PR+ free daily newsletter
Source:
Canary Media
Dual Threat to Health and Climate
PFAS pollution represents a twofold problem, compounding existing concerns over the tech industry's massive energy and water consumption. The chemicals are linked to serious health conditions, and their emissions contribute directly to climate change.
Public Health Risks
PFAS are called "forever chemicals" because they do not break down naturally, accumulating in water, soil, and living organisms. As highlighted by The Guardian, exposure is associated with a range of health problems:
Cancer
Birth defects
Kidney disease
Decreased immunity
Localized pollution can occur through leaks, emissions during manufacturing, or improper disposal of cooling equipment, potentially contaminating the air and water supplies of nearby communities.
A Growing Climate Concern
Beyond direct health impacts, some PFAS used as coolants are potent greenhouse gases. Their release into the atmosphere exacerbates the climate footprint of data centers, which are already major energy consumers.
An analysis from MIT forecasts that the electricity demand from AI data centers alone could more than double by 2030. With most of that energy still sourced from fossil fuels, the industry's carbon emissions are on a dangerous trajectory.
Read More
Source:
The Guardian
Share this news:
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc():focal(734x230:736x232)/ben-affleck-jennifer-lopez-kiss-of-the-spider-woman-4-100625-02eb6f152cc44fb899503a149cec8202.jpg)
