As the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) issues health advisories and proposes tighter regulations for per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAs) in U.S. drinking water, environment advocates have urged New York State to take quick action to protect residents from these harmful chemicals.
PFAs are a group of thousands of chemicals that are known for their non-stick qualities and are therefore found in a range of household items such as non-stick cookware, clothing and furniture.
According to a new study by the US Geological Survey, nearly half of the country’s tap water is contaminated with PFAs, with suspicion that this number could be higher. The study also warns that the adverse health impacts of PFAs in humans are extensive, as these chemicals have been linked to developmental, immune and metabolic disorders, as well as types of cancers.
The EPA announced the proposal of a National Primary Drinking Water Regulation in March, which would impose more regulations on water contaminants that are likely carcinogenic. The EPA expects to finalize this proposal by the end of 2023. To express support for the proposal, environmental advocacy groups and public commenters attended a New York State Drinking Water Quality Council meeting in June.
During this meeting, council members discussed specific qualms with the proposed regulations, such as cost concerns, feasibility and disagreements over data collection that the proposal is based on. However, the public commenters and advocates urged the Council to put public health first and support the EPA’s suggestions.
“This focus on feasibility and dollar amounts is an insult to the public,” Jennifer Rawlison, a volunteer for Newburgh Clean Water Project, said at the meeting. “Failing health is the most costly. It’s time to be in front of this, leading the nation as to how we approach this issue.”
The proposed regulations intend to crack down on six specific water contaminants that fall under the category of PFAs. PFAs are a group of thousands of chemicals that are known for their non-stick qualities and are therefore found in a range of household items such as non-stick cookware, clothing and furniture.
“We commend the EPA for at least attempting to put forth a reasonable plan to capture the synergistic effects and the cumulative effects of the myriad of PFAs chemicals,” Adrienne Esposito, Executive Director of Citizens Campaign for the Environment, said. “We know it costs money. We know that this is difficult, but that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t do it.”
Drinking water in Nassau and Suffolk County comes from the island’s groundwater aquifers. Contaminants, including PFAs, have been leaching into Long Island’s aquifers for years.
Although there have been efforts to scale back human and environmental exposure to PFAs by removing them from many consumer products, PFAs are persistent in living organisms and the environment, which is what earned them the title of “forever chemicals.”
The Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) surmises that most people in the United States have some form of PFAs in their blood due to exposure over their lifetimes.
The EPA’s proposal would set a new federal drinking water standard of four parts per trillion (ppt) for the six identified forms of PFAs that have been flagged as likely carcinogenic, a sharp restriction on the previous 10 ppt standard.
“I want to urge the Department of Health to support the EPA recommendations,” Linda Birnbaum, former director of the National Institute of Environmental Health Science and National Toxicology Program, said. “There are many studies showing that the health benefits far outweigh the economic costs.”
