The Environmental Protection Agency is taking several steps to address contamination from PFAS chemicals, including a testing strategy to develop data based on “hazard characteristics and exposure pathways."
Cut through the clutter! We deliver the news you need to stay informed about farm, food and rural issues. Sign up for a FREE month of Agri-Pulse here.
The agency says in a press release that it will take additional steps to measure air-related PFAS data and will accelerate the development of testing methods improving detection of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, as the chemicals are known.
According to the release, the agency will:
- “Address the most significant compliance challenges and requests from Congress and drinking water systems related to national primary drinking water regulations for certain PFAS.”
- Determine how to better use Resource Conservation and Recovery Act authorities to address releases from manufacturing operations of both producers and users of PFAS.
- Add PFAS to the Toxics Release Inventory as directed by Congress.
- Enforce limitations for PFAS use and release under the Clean Water Act and Toxic Substances Control Act.
- Use the agency’s authority under the Safe Drinking Water Act authority “to investigate and address immediate endangerment.”
- Collaborate with states to analyze the risks of PFAS contamination and develop risk assessment tools.
EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin said the agency would be “tackling PFAS from all of EPA’s program offices, advancing research and testing, stopping PFAS from getting into drinking water systems, holding polluters accountable, and providing certainty for passive receivers. This is just a start of the work we will do on PFAS to ensure Americans have the cleanest air, land and water.”
For more news, go to Agri-Pulse.com.
