87% of Americans Concerned About Pollution -- Napoli Shkolnik Launches Environmental Law Forum to Drive Awareness and Protection

To accompany the launch, the firm commissioned a national survey to uncover public concern and knowledge gaps around environmental harm

NEW YORK, Sept. 18, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Napoli Shkolnik, a nationally renowned law firm representing individuals and communities in complex litigation, today announced the launch of the Environmental Law Forum (ELF), a new public interest initiative offering insights, resources and events to support environmental justice and community recovery. Created in response to growing environmental threats, the ELF gives legal professionals, public agencies, municipalities, industry experts, community advocates and more the tools to identify contamination, hold polluters accountable and help restore balance in impacted communities.

Environmental harm affects all of us. Whether you live in a major city, small town or rural community, the risks are more common than many realize. It's in the air we breathe, the water we drink and even the soil beneath our homes. Contamination today is showing up across the country — from public water systems to residential neighborhoods and industrial zones alike. The consequences include serious illness, declining property values and costly cleanups, often paid for by the public. And too often, residents are completely unaware of this harm until it's too late.

"The Environmental Law Forum is about building partnerships that empower communities, regulators and legal advocates to get ahead of environmental threats," said Paul Napoli, Founding Partner at Napoli Shkolnik. "That means strengthening local capacity for remediation, making sure communities know their options and ensuring municipalities have the resources to protect residents and plan for long-term recovery."

"Communities shouldn't have to wait for a crisis to get justice," added Marie Napoli, Founding Partner at Napoli Shkolnik. "At its core, this work is about our collective responsibility to residents across the country, making sure polluters pay the cost of cleanup. This ensures local communities have the resources to rebuild, recover and move forward."

The ELF emphasizes that effective environmental litigation creates lasting change through three essential steps: transparency to force disclosure of contamination data; prevention through deterrence by holding polluters financially responsible; and remediation to ensure resources are available for community recovery.

Why the Environmental Law Forum Matters: Survey Reveals Public Concern, Exposure and Calls for Greater Protection
To accompany the ELF launch, Napoli Shkolnik conducted a national survey to gauge how Americans view environmental threats and how much trust they place in the systems meant to protect them. The 2025 Environmental Contaminants Survey, conducted with Dynata, contains responses from 1,000 adults across the country.

The data challenges the idea that people don't care:

• 87% of Americans say they're concerned about pollution
• 1 in 4 describe themselves as deeply concerned — among parents, that number rises to 40%
• 80% believe their families have already been exposed to environmental contaminants

While concern is widespread, critical gaps in knowledge remain:

• Only 30% know what PFAS are and why they matter, despite widespread exposure.
• Women face higher biological risks, but awareness is lower — only 17% understand ethylene oxide's (EtO) impact, compared to 25% of men.
• Just 1 in 4 Southerners and 1 in 5 Midwesterners say they're very concerned, despite these areas hosting the most toxic facilities and facing long histories of industrial pollution.

People want protection, but they're looking for more from local systems:

• 80% want stronger action, including independent air and water testing and tougher penalties for polluters
• Only 17% say they're very confident local governments will protect them from harm, highlighting the need for additional resources and support to build trust

"Public awareness is higher than ever, but it's still nowhere near where it needs to be," said Hunter Shkolnik, Founding Partner at Napoli Shkolnik. "These numbers should be a wake-up call, and this is exactly why we built the Environmental Law Forum: to surface the truth, close critical knowledge gaps and support communities in their work to ensure protection and recovery."

For a deeper dive into the 2025 Environmental Contaminants Survey, including additional key findings and analysis, read the full report here.

This Fight Is Only Just Beginning
Napoli Shkolnik's Environmental Law Forum will continue surfacing critical data, sharing resources and hosting conversations that empower communities to protect themselves and secure the resources needed for recovery.

Explore upcoming initiatives, access resources and see how you can get involved: https://environmentallawforum.org/.

About Napoli Shkolnik
Powerhouse national law firm Napoli Shkolnik provides representation in complex environmental litigation, from PFAS contamination to ethylene oxide (EtO) emissions and more, addressing hazardous substances and their impact on communities. With a dedicated team of attorneys and a proven track record of success, Napoli Shkolnik provides exceptional legal representation and fights for justice on behalf of those affected by environmental wrongdoing.

Media Contact:
PANBlast for Napoli Shkolnik
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SOURCE Napoli Shkolnik