The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is proposing two rules to protect communities and the environment from the health risks posed by certain per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) -- also known as "forever chemicals."
PFAS are a class of chemicals that break down very slowly over time. They've been widely used since the 1940s, and are still being used today, in many industrial and consumer products including adhesives, fire-fighting foam, nonstick cookware, water-repellent clothing, stain resistant fabrics and carpets, some cosmetics, synthetic turf and more.
Research indicates that exposure to these chemicals could be linked to harmful health effects in both humans and animals. Because of their widespread use and persistence in the environment, many PFAS are found in the blood of people and animals all over the world and are present at low levels in a variety of food products and in the environment, according to the EPA.
"These proposed rules would strengthen protections for communities and drinking water supplies located near the 1,740 permitted hazardous waste facilities across the nation," the EPA said in a statement. "Hazardous waste cleanups are a crucial part of EPA's focus on environmental justice and help to protect public health in part by addressing disparities in access to a clean and safe environment."
The first EPA rule would add nine PFAS chemicals to the list of "hazardous constituents" in the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act.
The nine PFAS are:
• Perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA)
• Perfluorooctane sulfonic acid (PFOS)
• Perfluorobutane sulfonic acid (PFBS)
• Hexafluoropropylene oxide-dimer acid (HFPO-DA, commonly known as GenX Chemicals)
• Perfluorononanoic acid (PFNA)
• Perfluorohexane sulfonic acid (PFHxS)
• Perfluorodecanoic acid (PFDA)
• Perfluorohexanoic acid (PFHxA)
• Perfluorobutanoic acid (PFBA)
To be listed as a hazardous constituent by law, scientific studies must show that the chemical has toxic, carcinogenic, mutagenic or teratogenic effects on humans or other life forms. The EPA says it evaluated toxicity and epidemiology data for these chemicals and determined that all nine PFAS compounds meet the criteria for listing as a hazardous constituent.
The EPA said listing as a hazardous constituent is a building block for any future work to regulate PFAS as a listed hazardous waste.
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The second rule would modify the definition of hazardous waste as it applies to cleanups at permitted hazardous waste facilities. While this proposed rule would not specifically address PFAS, the EPA says it would provide clear regulatory authority to require cleanup of emerging contaminants, such as PFAS and other substances, that aren't currently identified as hazardous waste but meet the statutory definition of hazardous waste.
Last March, the Biden-Harris Administration proposed the first-ever national drinking water standard that would put tighter restrictions on six PFAS chemicals found in drinking water. The chemicals include: PFOA, PFOS, PFNA, PFHxS, PFBS and GenX Chemicals. If fully implemented, the EPA expects the rule will prevent thousands of deaths and reduce tens of thousands of serious PFAS-attributable illnesses.
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