The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has issued new warnings for synthetic pollutants known as “eternal chemicals” in drinking water. The warnings stated that toxins can still be harmful even at levels too low to be detected.
The group of toxic chemicals known as perfluorinated and polyfluorinated alkyl substances (PFAS) has been used for years in household products such as non-stick cookware, stain- and water-resistant textiles, fire-fighting foams and industrial products.
Scientists associate some of these substances with different types of cancer, liver damage, weakness in newborns and other health problems. However, non-perishable chemicals are not yet regulated.
The Department will publish the proposed rules for regulating PFAS in the coming months. Until regulations come into effect, the purpose of the recommendations is to provide information to states, communities and water systems on how to handle PFAS contamination.
The EPA also announced that the first $1 billion of the $5 billion total funding included in last year’s infrastructure law will be used to combat PFAS in drinking water. The funds will provide technical assistance to the states, water quality testing and the installation of centralized treatment systems.
Updated drinking water health guidelines for perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and perfluorooctane sulfonic acid (PFOS) replace guidelines published in 2016. The new science-based recommendation levels that take into account lifetime exposure indicate that trace health problems can still occur due to concentrations of PFOA or PFOS found in water near zero and below the EPA’s ability to detect.
“Today’s actions highlight EPA’s commitment to using the best available science to combat PFAS pollution, protect public health, and provide critical information quickly and transparently,” said Radhika Fox, EPA’s deputy director for water.
EPA encourages organizations that find PFAS in drinking water to inform the public, monitor the process and take measures to reduce exposure. The agency said people concerned about PFAS found in their drinking water should consider installing a home filter.
Industry group the American Chemistry Council, whose members include 3M and DuPont, argued that EPA rushed the warnings, not waiting for a review by the Science Advisory Board. The group said it was concerned that the process of developing the recommendations was “fundamentally flawed”.