EPA designates two ‘Forever Chemicals’ as hazardous

By Robin Foster HealthDay reporter

MONDAY April 22, 2024

Two common PFAS “forever chemicals” have been deemed hazardous substances by the Environmental Protection Agency.

The new designation, introduced under the nation’s Superfund law, will allow the EPA to investigate and clean up leaks and spills of these harmful chemicals, agency officials said Friday.

It also means that polluters can be charged for cleaning up contaminants involving these chemicals.

The two chemicals, perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and perfluorooctane sulfonic acid (PFOS), belong to a larger class of per- and polyfluoroalkyl compounds (PFAS). These chemicals take a long time to break down in the environment and in the human body.

“By placing these chemicals under our Superfund authority, EPA can address more contaminated sites, take action sooner and expedite cleanup efforts, while ensuring polluters pay for the costs of cleaning up pollution that threatens the health of communities,” said EPA Administrator Michael Regan in an agency news release announcing the move.

PFAS have been used for decades in products such as Teflon and firefighting foam. They can still be found in hundreds of household items and in drinking water systems. They are believed to be in the blood of 98% of the human population.

Studies have shown that they pose a threat to human health and can cause cancer and birth defects. According to the EPA, exposure to “forever chemicals” has been linked to cancer, heart and liver disease, and immune and developmental damage in infants and children.

In addition to the final rule, the EPA has issued a separate enforcement policy emphasizing that the agency will target companies that have significantly contributed to the production and release of these chemicals into the environment.

“For far too long, the uncontrolled use and disposal of toxic PFAS has wreaked havoc on our planet, contaminating everything from our drinking water to our food supply,” said Dr. David Andrews, deputy director of research and senior scientist at the Environmental Working Group, said in a statement. “Urgent action is needed to clean up contaminated sites, eliminate future emissions of these pollutants and protect people from additional exposure.”

Environmentalists said the EPA’s announcement was a good start. CNN reported, but groups like the U.S. PIRG Education Fund and Environment America Research and Policy Center have called on the EPA to ban all PFAS chemicals. There are more than 12,000 forms of PFAS present in the environment.

“No one in 2024 should have to worry about whether their well water, agricultural products or even clothing is contaminated with toxic chemicals, but unfortunately that is the reality for millions of Americans,” said Lisa Frank, executive director of Environment America Research and Policy Center in Washington. office, a statement said. “This announcement is a critical step in getting PFAS out of our waterways and making polluters pay. Now we have to turn off the tap on toxic PFAS everywhere.”

The EPA noted that the new designations are part of the Biden administration’s larger efforts to protect communities from PFAS contamination.

The new designations come less than two weeks after the EPA announced strict new limits for “forever chemicals” in America’s drinking water.

SOURCE: Environmental Protection Agency, press release, April 19, 2024; CNN

Copyright © 2024 Health Day. All rights reserved.

SLIDESHOW

The 14 most common causes of fatigue
See Slideshow