PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — A new rule put in place by Pennsylvania lawmakers will help protect people’s drinking water from harmful PFAS chemicals.
The regulation set maximum containment levels on two forms of PFAS – perfluorooctane sulfonic acid (PFOS) and perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) – synthetic chemicals, also known as “forever chemicals,” that have been used since the 1940s to make water, heat and stain-resistant products like cookware, carpets, clothing and furniture fabrics and paper packaging for food.
The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection said these limitations are intended to protect people from immune system disorders and adverse developmental effects, like neurobehavioral and skeletal effects, and that can stem from exposure to the chemicals.
The department has specific analytical requirements and approved treatment technologies in place to ensure compliance with the containment levels in addition to monitoring and reporting.
The CDC says these chemicals are concerning because they do not break down in the environment, can move through soils, contaminate drinking water sources as well as rivers and lakes, and are found in animals both on land and in the water.
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In 2018, Gov. Tom Wolf signed an executive order to address the effects of PFAS in the state and establish the PFAS Action Team.
DEP Acting Secretary Ramez Ziadeh said, since Wolf signed the order, the department has been committed to protecting Pennsylvanians from the negative impacts of PFAS.
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While PFAS are associated with adverse health effects, scientists classified them as “emerging contaminants” because the risks they pose to both humans and the environment are not completely understood.
“We are still learning more about these chemicals, and these new MCLs are a step in the right direction,” Ziadeh said.