Tell the EPA to protect ourselves and future generations from toxic forever chemicals!
The EPA has proposed, for the first time ever, setting enforceable maximum limits for “forever chemicals” in drinking water: Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances National Primary Drinking Water Regulation - posted March 28, 2023.
These limits include the type of PFAS released from the Red Hill Bulk Fuel Storage Facility and that have been found in the Navy's Pearl Harbor Drinking Water System, the Kunia Village drinking water wells, and in Waiawa groundwater.
Unfortunately, chemical manufacturers and other corporations that pump PFAS-laden products into the market are already launching an effort to oppose these public health safeguards.
Submit comments in SUPPORT of the new limits at the regulations.gov docket or via the Sierra Club petition here.
What the proposed rule does
Sets new limits on the amount of PFAS (Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances) that can be detected in any drinking water source.
Sets the Maximum Contaminant Levels (MCLs) for two different types of PFAS (PFORA and PFOS) chemicals at 4.0 ng/L or parts per trillion each. Sets a Maximum Contaminant Level Goal (MCLG) of zero for these chemicals.
Sets a combined MCL and MCLG for four other PFAS types as 1.0 in the “Hazard Index System.”
Requires drinking water system operators to monitor for these PFAS. If the MCLs are exceeded, operators must alert the public if MCLs and work to reduce PFAS levels to below their respective MCLs.
If implemented, will prevent tens of thousands of serious illnesses and deaths, and provide $908M to $1.23B a year in benefits (completely offsetting implementation costs of $772-$1.2B per year).
Why the proposed rule is important
Exposure to PFAS chemicals has been linked to severe health issues. The protection of public health is the primary concern at stake here. Ingesting or being exposed to PFAS chemicals has been linked to serious health concerns, including cancer, organ damage, and immune system suppression. In children, these chemicals have been shown to have negative impacts on development.
No level of PFAS chemicals are safe to drink. Even with very low levels of exposure, PFAS has still been shown to have toxic effects on the human body. While the industry argues that PFAS is used in many ways in our daily lives, this is no excuse for inaction. Given the known health risks, setting enforceable limits for PFAS as close to zero as possible is necessary to protect and preserve public and environmental health.
PFAS are “forever chemicals.” PFAS essentially last forever in the environment, and can also bioaccumulate in fish, other animals, and humans. This poses a massive concern for exposure, since the chemical can remain and build up in the environment over years, and remain there for centuries. Moreover, the effects of PFAS are not always short-term, but after drinking contaminated water for months or years, the health impacts can be serious if not deadly.
Regulations encourage safer industry practices. Setting these regulations will encourage manufacturers and PFAS-producing industries at large to be more responsible in their use of PFAS. Ideally, industries would invest in safer alternatives for PFAS chemicals if they receive pressure from those in the regulatory and water supply sectors.
Regulations set legal standards for enforcement. Importantly, these standards create legal limits of PFAS chemicals in the water supply, meaning that legal action can be taken if the contaminants exceed these limits and are not addressed. The establishment of legal limits also provides clarification on the expectations for the use of PFAS chemicals and on the standards for providing safe, healthy drinking water for the public.