Attorney General Kris Mayes filed suit last week against companies that manufacture PFAS, which have been linked to a number of health problems.

Now she is asking the Environmental Protection Agency to regulate the so-called forever chemicals.

PFAS have been around for decades, but regulators have only recently begun to understand them.

The EPA has proposed guidelines to keep the chemicals out of drinking water, and Mayes has urged the agency to adopt the new rules, joining a coalition of 17 states that have taken an interest in the issue.

The substances can be found in firefighting foam, cleaning solvents, nonstick pans and a number of consumer products.

They degrade slowly, accumulate in the body over time and have been linked to cancer and other health issues.