Acting Attorney General Michelle Henry leads coalition urging stronger PFAS regulations

In a letter, the attorneys basic urged the EPA to  finalize the proposal, arguing quick motion would shield communities sooner. The coalition additionally referred to as for a standardized definition of PFAS, so that each one sorts, together with these which may be found sooner or later, be included within the listing. Greater than a thousand PFAS chemical compounds have been manufactured within the U.S.

PFAS chemical compounds have tainted the water, air, and soil throughout the nation for many years. The so-called “endlessly” chemical compounds are broadly utilized in client merchandise like nonstick cookware, flame-retardant materials, and a few meals packaging, in addition to in firefighting foam used at navy bases.

The contamination has had a big affect on residents in areas resembling Bucks and Montgomery counties in Pennsylvania, Monmouth County in New Jersey, in addition to  Dover and Blades, Delaware.

The quite a few well being issues, together with some cancers, linked to PFAS have led to lawsuits towards firms that make the merchandise, resembling DuPont and its successor firms, and 3M. The results of publicity are long-lasting — the compounds can keep within the human bloodstream for years.

“PFAS have been contaminating Pennsylvanians’ ingesting water for years, but the federal authorities had been sluggish to  deal with this risk,” Henry mentioned. “Subsequently, we applaud the EPA for proposing this motion now to find out who’s manufacturing and utilizing these chemical compounds, and we assist different current EPA proposals to speed up cleanup of those chemical compounds. The EPA’s efforts will set the nation on a path towards safer regulation of PFAS.”