EPA plans PFAS discharge limits

 

The Trump administration will set limits on the amount of “forever chemicals” producers of the toxic substances can discharge into the water, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced Monday.

The administration said it will set discharge limits for a class of toxic chemicals known as PFAS. The limitations will apply to companies that make these substances, as well as metal finishers.   In a press release announcing the move, the EPA also said it will evaluate whether additional limits are necessary to reduce releases of PFAS.   A quick refresher: PFAS, which stands for per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, is the name of a family of thousands of chemicals that can persist in the environment for hundreds or thousands of years without breaking down. These chemicals have become pervasive in U.S. waterways and drinking water systems — as well as in humans. In 2023, the U.S. Geological Survey Determined that they were in the tap water of 45 percent of Americans. Meanwhile, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has found they are in the bloodstream of at least 97 percent of Americans. Exposure to many PFAS has been linked to adverse health outcomes including cancer, kidney and thyroid problems — as well as fertility and immune system problems. The Biden administration similarly announced in 2021 it planned to propose a rule that limited releases of PFAS — but it never actually did so.    If the Trump administration completes the rule, it will have gone further to address releases of the chemicals than the previous administration.    However, the Biden administration did take significant steps aimed at reducing Americans’ exposure to PFAS. For the first time ever, it required water providers to filter out these substances.   It’s not entirely clear whether the Trump administration plans to uphold the Biden-era rule, change it or eliminate it.   The press release Monday said the agency would “address the most significant compliance challenges” for drinking water systems.  https://thehill.com/newsletters/energy-environment/5271772-epa-plans-pfas-discharge-limits/