EPA Issues Unprecedented Standards For PFAS in Drinking Water

EPA Issues Unprecedented Standards For PFAS in Drinking Water

 

Today, April 10, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced its historic action to impose national, legally enforceable drinking water standards to protect communities from exposure to per-and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), or “forever chemicals.”

PFAS are a class of more than 12,000 chemicals found in drinking water, soil, air, and foods. These chemicals are toxic at extremely low exposure levels, and have been linked to many adverse health outcomes, including liver and kidney damage, reproductive and developmental harm, immune system impairment, and certain cancers.

The EPA’s rule is the first-ever national, legally enforceable drinking water standard for PFAS. The limits address six PFAS known to occur individually and as mixtures: PFOA, PFOS, GenX, PFBS, PFNA and PFHxS.

EPA has set the following PFAS drinking water standards:

• Maximum Contaminant Levels (MCLs), the highest level of a contaminant allowed in drinking water, at 4 parts per trillion (ppt) for PFOA and PFOS individually
• Maximum Contaminant Level Goal (MCGL), a non-enforceable health-based goal, at zero for PFOA and PFOS
• Both MCLs and MCGLs for PFNA, PFHxS, and “GenX Chemicals” at 10 ppt
• EPA also set a hazard index to address cumulative risks from mixtures of chemicals for GenX, PFBS, PFNA and PFHxS

 

“We commend EPA for taking this long-awaited and bold action to protect people from harmful exposures and adverse health effects associated with these dangerous chemicals. This would not have come about without years of relentless advocacy from people living in affected communities, environmental justice and health organizations across this country,” said Pamela Miller, Executive Director of Alaska Community Action on Toxics. “The State of Alaska has languished in not setting health protective drinking water standards as other states have done, in not implementing adequate monitoring, and not eliminating known sources of PFAS contamination. We will keep fighting to eliminate exposures and harm from PFAS and to hold polluters and regulators accountable.”

In Alaska, there are currently 469 sites where PFAS contamination has been identified in soil and water, according to the Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation, and this number is increasing with additional sampling.

Alaska Community Action on Toxics (ACAT) conducted research and independent water quality testing showed PFAS contamination in all the water bodies tested in Anchorage and the Fairbanks North Star Borough. The data concerning PFAS in our local lakes are of concern to environmental and public health. The results indicate the need for urgent action to protect public health as well as wildlife. The information is a public right-to-know issue.

PFAS have been found in communities throughout Alaska due primarily to the dispersive use of PFAS in firefighting foams used by the military and airports. Safe and effective alternatives to the use of PFAS-based firefighting foams are readily available and in use at major airports, military installations, and oil and gas facilities throughout the world.

ACAT is working to achieve comprehensive legislation on PFAS to protect our waters and the health of Alaskans from further contamination and harm. In particular, ACAT is advocating for SB 67, a bill to prevent further PFAS pollution by phasing out the use of PFAS in firefighting foams (AFFF). Safe and effective alternatives to the use of PFAS-based firefighting foams are readily available and in use at major airports, military installations, and oil and gas facilities throughout the world. Additional provisions should be passed to phase out all non-essential uses of PFAS, and to provide alternate drinking water sources and medical monitoring for affected communities.