Why is the EPA regulating PFAS and what are these ‘forever chemicals’?

• The Environmental Protection Agency has finalized limits on certain PFAS chemicals in drinking water, which it says will reduce exposure for 100 million people.
• Experts say even small amounts of PFAS are problematic because they can accumulate in the body over time.
• As a result of the new rules, the number of deaths will be reduced by nearly 10,000 and tens of thousands of serious illnesses will be avoided over the next few decades, the EPA says.

On Wednesday, the Environmental Protection Agency finalized limits on certain common types of PFAS chemicals in drinking water. This is the first time nationwide limits on so-called permanent chemicals have been imposed on water utilities. EPA Administrator Michael Regan called this the largest action the agency has ever taken against PFAS and said the rule would reduce exposure for 100 million people.

This regulation represents a new era in public health and drinking water. The Biden administration is also proposing new rules that would force power companies to remove harmful lead pipes. This is part of an overall goal to make tap water safer. Utilities are concerned about these new requirements and the billions of dollars in costs that come with them.

Biden administration enacts first-ever PFAS ‘permanent chemicals’ limit on drinking water

Here’s what’s important to know about the range of chemicals and the EPA’s latest actions:

What are PFAS?

PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances) are a group of chemicals that have been around for decades and are now pervasive in the nation’s air, water, and soil.

These were so useful that they were manufactured by companies like 3M and Chemours. They helped eggs slide over nonstick frying pans, extinguishing foam ensured flames were extinguished, and clothes withstood the rain to keep people dry.

However, chemicals remain in the environment because they are difficult to decompose.

So what’s the problem?

Environmental activists claim that PFAS manufacturers knew about the health risks of PFAS long before they were made public. The same property that makes chemicals valuable—their resistance to degradation—also makes them dangerous to humans.

Because PFAS accumulate in the body, the EPA has increased drinking water standards to 4 parts per trillion for two common types that have been phased out of manufacturing but are still present in the environment: PFOA and PFOS. Setting. Health experts say even small amounts are problematic because low doses of the chemical can accumulate in the body over time.

Currently, there are a wide range of health risks associated with exposure to certain PFAS, many of which have been largely phased out. In addition to certain cancers, cases of kidney disease, low birth weight, and high cholesterol can be prevented by removing PFAS from water, according to the EPA.

In recent years, guidance regarding PFOA and PFOS has changed dramatically as scientific understanding has improved. The EPA said in 2016 that the combined amount of the two substances should not exceed 70 parts per trillion. Now the EPA says no amount is safe.

What do the new rules do?

In other words, this rule sets limits on several common types of PFAS. The EPA says there is sufficient evidence to limit PFOA and PFOS to the lowest levels that can be reliably detected.

For some other types, the limit is 10 parts per trillion, and there are also limits on certain PFAS combinations.

Water utilities have three years to get tested for PFAS. Also, if the results are too high, the public needs to be informed.

And if the results are a concern, utilities have two more years to introduce treatments. EPA estimates that 6% to 10% of water systems will have levels exceeding EPA’s new limits.

As a result of this rule, the EPA says nearly 10,000 deaths will be reduced and tens of thousands of serious illnesses will be avoided over the next few decades.

What are people saying about it?

Well, quite a lot.

Environmental and public health groups, which say the restrictions should have been in place long ago, are generally excited by the announcement. They like that they set limits for PFOA and PFOS at very low levels, and that the agency disagreed with some utility groups that called for more lenient limits.

They’re glad the Biden administration is finally taking action to reduce PFAS in tap water, but some sources of PFAS are easier to address than others. They acknowledge that it costs a lot of money for communities to set up treatment facilities, but billions of dollars are available from infrastructure laws, and court settlements provide billions more. It says that it will be.

Although water utilities do not release PFAS into the environment, they now face obligations to remove them. It will be a big change for them.

They say the EPA’s $1.5 billion annual cost estimate is too low, consumers’ water bills will rise, and the rule’s health benefits justify all the costs, especially at low PFAS concentrations. They claim it’s not big enough.

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Additionally, they say the rule would negatively impact smaller communities with fewer resources, making it more difficult to comply.

Then there are practical challenges. Utilities say they will struggle to find enough experts, workers and materials to clean up PFAS.

There are also concerns that consumers who hear about high levels of PFAS in their drinking water may stop drinking tap water altogether, further deteriorating confidence in this vital public resource.