A class of chemicals known as PFAS is capable of remaining in the air, water, and soil for a very long time. Studies indicate that they may be linked to several illnesses, such as cancer.
In Short
- Pfas, persistent chemicals linked to health issues, prompted the epa to set limits on their presence in drinking water.
- The epa’s regulations aim to mitigate risks associated with long-term exposure to pfas contaminants.
- These regulations follow years of research and advocacy efforts, signaling progress in safeguarding public health.
- Despite these measures, ongoing concerns remain regarding total pfas exposure and the need for continued monitoring and action.
TFD – Dive into the EPA’s recent regulations on PFAS chemicals in drinking water, addressing concerns about their persistence and health impacts. Learn about the challenges, solutions, and ongoing efforts to ensure safer drinking water for all.
The Environmental Protection Agency has set nationwide limitations for six different forms of polyfluoroalkyl and perfluoroalkyl compounds found in drinking water for the first time.
The compounds, referred to by their initials PFAS, are dubbed “forever chemicals” because they can persist in the air, water, and soil for an extended period of time due to their minimal degradation and near-impossible destruction.
PFAS are a class of chemicals that have been linked to low birth weight, heart disease, high cholesterol, thyroid illness, several malignancies, and reproductive problems like diminished fertility.
As per the Department of Health and Human Services, PFAS is present in the bloodstream of the majority of Americans.
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) declared on Wednesday that the maximum amount of PFOA and PFOS, two PFAS types frequently found in nonstick or stain-resistant items like firefighting foam and food packaging, in public drinking water is 4 parts per trillion.
Ten parts per trillion will be the limit for three more PFAS compounds. These are the more recent GenX chemicals, which were developed as an alternative to PFOA, and the older PFNA and PFHxS forms of PFAS.
The EPA states that PFOA and PFOS are the most commonly utilized and researched PFAS kinds. Companies started making them in the 1940s, but the substances were largely phased out of U.S. chemical and product manufacturing in the mid-2000s. They do, however, still exist in the environment and have mostly been supplanted by more recent varieties of the same class of compounds.
The lowest amounts of PFOA and PFOS that laboratories can reasonably detect and public water systems can efficiently treat are reflected in the EPA’s revised limit. However, the agency states that there is no acceptable amount of exposure to contaminants and that water systems should work toward their elimination.
There are already regulatory requirements for PFAS in drinking water in eleven states. According to EPA estimates, 4,100–6,700 public water systems nationwide, or 6%–10% of the total, will require modifications to comply with the new federal restrictions.
“One hundred million people will be healthier and safer because of this action,” EPA Administrator Michael Regan said Tuesday on a media call, referring to the number of people served by the water systems that will need upgrades.
Public water systems have three years to begin monitoring for PFAS as of Wednesday. They will have an additional two years to buy and install new equipment to lower the levels of PFAS in their drinking water if they find PFAS at levels higher than the EPA allows.
According to EPA estimates, the higher limitations will avert tens of thousands of serious illnesses and thousands of fatalities.
An elevated risk of kidney cancer is one of the main health issues linked to PFOA. A higher risk of liver cancer has also been linked to high levels of PFOS exposure.
Studies on animals have demonstrated that GenX chemicals cause harm to the immune system, liver, kidneys, and pancreas in addition to liver and pancreatic cancers. Studies on mice suggest that exposure to PFNA may cause problems with development and that PFHxS may cause thyroid system disruption.
Additionally, the EPA issued a restriction on Wednesday for mixes that contained at least two of the following substances: GenX, PFNA, PFHxS, and PFBS. The EPA has given an algorithm that public water systems can use to assess if the cumulative amounts of the contaminants are higher than the agency’s threshold.
Last year, the EPA suggested PFAS limitations for drinking water. On Wednesday, it officially announced the limits after reviewing user feedback.
According to Scott Faber, senior vice president of government affairs at the Environmental Working Group, an advocacy organization that pushes for tougher laws governing contaminants in drinking water, “this is a huge, historic public health win.
“The most important step we’ve taken to improve the safety of our tap water in a generation” and “the single most important step we’ve taken to address PFAS ever,” according to Faber, are the new EPA regulations.
Although the new limitations don’t completely solve the issue of PFAS in drinking water, Jamie DeWitt, director of Oregon State University’s Environmental Health Sciences Center, said that they are a substantial step in the right direction.
“I believe many people living in PFAS-impacted communities have not felt heard, and this will at least give them a sense that the federal government cares about them and cares about their exposure,” the speaker stated.
On Wednesday, the EPA announced the availability of an additional $1 billion in funds to assist states, territories, and private well owners in implementing PFAS testing and treatment at public water systems. The federal infrastructure law that was passed in 2021 and allocated $9 billion to address PFAS and other toxins in water is the source of money for this project. Grants will be given out with the funds.
Additionally, some public water systems have filed lawsuits against PFAS manufacturers and/or former manufacturers in an effort to hold them liable for the expenses associated with PFAS testing and filtering. A $1.18 billion settlement for 300 drinking water providers countrywide was reached last year as a result of one such case. In a different lawsuit, public water systems around the nation received awards ranging from $10.5 billion to $12.5 billion until 2036, contingent on the extent of contamination discovered.
Activated carbon filters are widely used to remove per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) from water by trapping the pollutants when water flows through them. Reverse osmosis and ion exchange resins are other alternatives that draw PFAS compounds to them like small magnets.
Positive effects, however, may not always be immediately apparent even after water has been treated for PFAS, according to Anna Reade, director of PFAS advocacy at the National Resources Defense Council, a nonprofit environmental advocacy organization.
It takes two to eight years for the majority of these six substances to drop by half in our systems. Therefore, it will take years before we notice any significant drops in our exposure over time, the speaker stated.
Since only a small portion of the more than 12,000 varieties of PFAS are covered by the EPA’s new drinking water regulations, activists are still worried about total exposure.
According to Reade, this is not the last stage. “There are still a lot of other PFAS to be concerned about.”
Conclusion
The EPA’s regulations on PFAS chemicals mark a crucial step in addressing water contamination and safeguarding public health. While progress has been made, ongoing vigilance and action are necessary to mitigate risks and ensure safe drinking water for all communities.
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