EPA puts limits on 'forever chemicals' in drinking water
Source: NPR
April 10, 2024 5:01 AM ET
The Environmental Protection Agency announced new drinking water standards Wednesday to limit exposure to a class of chemicals called PFAS.
"There's no doubt that these chemicals have been important for certain industries and consumer uses, but there's also no doubt that many of these chemicals can be harmful to our health and our environment," said EPA administrator Michael Regan in a call with reporters. This is the first time the agency has set enforceable limits on PFAS in drinking water.
PFAS stands for perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances – a large group of man-made chemicals that have been used since the 1940s to waterproof and stainproof products from clothing, makeup and furniture to firefighting foam and semiconductors. Manufactured by several large companies including Dupont and 3M, PFAS have strong molecular bonds that don't break down for a long time, which is why they're known as "forever chemicals."
PFAS from the 1940s "are still in our environment today," says Anna Reade, lead scientist on PFAS for the Natural Resources Defense Council. "The levels of these chemicals keep building up in our water and our food and our air." Evidence for their harmful effects on human health have also accumulated. "Long term exposure to certain types of PFAS have been linked to serious illnesses, including cancer, liver damage and high cholesterol," the EPA's Regan said.
Read more: https://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2024/04/10/1243775736/epa-pfas-forever-chemicals-drinking-water-limits
Link to EPA PRESS RELEASE - Biden-Harris Administration Finalizes First-Ever National Drinking Water Standard to Protect 100M People from PFAS Pollution
