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PFAS: Last Week Tonight with John Oliver (HBO)

LastWeekTonight · commentary · Watch on YouTube

Environment, agriculture & food systemsMedia, journalism & propagandaChemistry

What it is

John Oliver's Last Week Tonight segment on PFAS, the 'forever chemicals' linked to health problems. It covers their widespread use in products like nonstick coatings and repellent fabrics and the limits of regulation.

Why Hacker News recommends it

HN points to it as a well-researched, accessible overview of PFAS in PFAS-related threads.

  • 4 people recommended it
  • 4 different months
  • 0 strong recommendations
  • first 2021, last 2025

What HN commenters said

  1. “John Oliver talks about PFAS, which was very interesting.”

    Interesting segment on PFAS in teflon and repellent fabrics.

    725686, 2021-10 · Recommendation · in “Why birds can fly over Mount Everest (2020)”

  2. “he does his homework”

    Well-researched episode on PFAS.

    ChrisMarshallNY, 2022-06 · Recommendation · in “EPA: 'Forever chemicals' pose risk even at low levels”

  3. “There is a video by John Oliver talking about PFAS and the other hundred or so variants of these compounds.”

    Covers PFAS variants and limited EPA bans.

    LinuxBender, 2022-12 · Recommendation · in “The U.S. military is poisoning Okinawa”

  4. “Additional good videos”

    Listed among additional good PFAS videos.

    nayuki, 2025-07 · Recommendation · in “French villages have no more drinking water. The reason? PFAS pollution”

Excerpts from Hacker News comments, linked to the originals. Summaries and labels were written by a language model from those comments.

Topics: pfas, forever chemicals, john oliver, regulation, environment

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