The EPA has singled out two chemicals, PFOS and PFOA, as particularly harmful, stating in a press release Friday that 'there is no level of exposure to these contaminants without risk of health impacts.'
A U.S. Environmental Protection Agency sign outside the Andrew W. Breidenbach Environmental Research Center in Cincinnati. EPA singled out the two chemicals, PFOS and PFOA, as particularly harmful, stating in recent press release that"there is no level of exposure to these contaminants without risk of health impacts.
The designation also will allow the EPA to use funds to take emergency actions, like providing safe drinking water to communities highly contaminated by PFOA and PFOS. Further, the move lets federal environmental regulators sue the polluters to recover those costs. “Designating these chemicals under our Superfund authority will allow EPA to address more contaminated sites, take earlier action, and expedite cleanups, all while ensuring polluters pay for the costs to clean up pollution threatening the health of communities,” said EPA Administrator Michael Regan in a statement.
PFAS chemicals were invented in the early 20th century and are used in thousands of products, like waterproof jackets and firefighting foam. Over time, the chemicals wash or flake off these products into landfills, soil and water.Tracing the path of toxic ‘forever chemicals’ inside the body
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