The proposed limits set the allowable levels of PFAS, also known as 'forever chemicals,' which can cause serious health problems, so that they could not be easily detected.
on Tuesday proposed the first federal limits on harmful "forever chemicals" in drinking water, a long-awaited protection the agency said will save thousands of lives and prevent serious illnesses, including cancer.The plan would limit toxic PFAS chemicals to the lowest level that tests can detect. PFAS, or per- and polyfluorinated substances, are a group of compounds that are widespread, dangerous, and expensive to remove from water.
The public will have a chance to comment, and the agency can make changes before issuing a final rule, expected by the end of the year. Until now, only a handful of states have issued PFAS regulations, and none has set limits as strict as what the EPA is proposing. By regulating PFOA and PFOS at the minimum amounts that tests can detect, the EPA is proposing the tightest possible standards that are technically feasible, experts said.
The American Chemistry Council, which represents large chemical companies, slammed EPA's "misguided approach" and said, "these low limits will likely result in billions of dollars in compliance costs.'' Emily Donovan, the co-founder of Clean Cape Fear, which advocates for cleaning up a PFAS-contaminated stretch of North Carolina, said it was important to make those who released the compounds into the environment pay cleanup costs.
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