On the next episode of Leverage Storytelling, presented by Tunheim, host Arick Wierson sits down with Professor Ali Ling from the University of St. Thomas  — she is one of the world’s leading voices on the economics and policy surrounding PFAS, the controversial “forever chemicals” used in everything from firefighting foam to advanced manufacturing. 

 Together, they unpack why PFAS has already become a political flashpoint in Europe while remaining a more fragmented issue in the United States, what the future holds for regulation and viable alternatives, and why industries around the world are grappling with what many now call the “PFAS paradox”: how do you phase out chemicals that are simultaneously controversial and, in some cases, essential? 

0:00 – Coming Up 
0:33 – What Are PFAS? 
2:47 – Essential vs Avoidable Uses 
5:10 – The True Cleanup Cost 
7:18 – Why Regulation Failed 
8:32 – Who Controls The Narrative? 
9:52 – Why Americans Aren’t Engaged 
10:55 – PFAS Beyond Drinking Water 
12:01 – The Bigger Generational Crisis 
12:52 – Will We Ever Replace PFAS?