The Environmental Protection Agency is warning that two nonstick and stain-resistant compounds found in drinking water pose health risks even at levels below the government's ability to detect them.
Most of the two compounds, known as PFOA and PFOS, have been voluntarily phased out by U.S. manufacturers, although there are a limited number of ongoing uses, and the chemicals remain in the environment due to the fact they do not degrade over time. The two compounds are part of a larger cluster of"forever chemicals" known as PFAS that had been used in consumer products and industry since the 1940s.
At the same time, the agency is inviting states and territories to apply for $1 billion under the new bipartisan infrastructure law to address PFAS and other contaminants in drinking water. Money can be used for technical assistance, water quality testing, contractor training and installation of centralized treatment, officials said.
Several states have set their own drinking water limits to address PFAS contamination that are far tougher than the federal guidance. The toxic industrial compounds are associated with serious health conditions, including cancer and reduced"People on the front-lines of PFAS contamination have suffered for far too long," EPA Administrator Michael Regan said in a statement.