A board within Pennsylvania's Department of Environmental Protection has cleared the way for setting drinking-water limits for two forms of toxic man-made substances known as "forever chemicals" because they do not break down in humans and the environment. These chemicals are knmown as PFAS, and the proposed rule would be stricter than the limited set forth by the federal EPA: 14 parts per trillion for PFOAs and 18 parts per trillion for PFOS compared to 80 parts per trillion for both.
In 2018 New Jersey was the first state to set limits stricter than the EPA. Last month the federal EPA pledged to take steps to regulate toxic chemicals used in everyday products that have contaminated drinking water and the Biden administration has a strategy that creates enforceable standards, though these processes won't be complete until the end of 2023.
These chemicals have been used to make cookware, carpets, clothing, furniture and fabrics since the 1940s and have been associated with developmental, immune, liver, and endocrine issues. They are also associated with increases in cholesterol, liver enzymes, and uric acid levels as well as a decreased antibody response following vaccinations. In October, Pennsylvania told anglers not to eat fish caught alongside the Neshaminy Creek basin due to extremely high levels of PFOS.
The new proposed rule is based on water sampling, available treatment technologies, and health effects outlined by Drexel University’s PFAS Advisory Group. Perhaps we could find this advisory group. It's interesting to see the impact our university has.
Frank Kummer, 16 November 2021, "Pennsylvania DEP proposes strict limits for ‘forever chemicals’ in drinking water", contributed by Andrew Rosenthal, The Energy Rights Project, Platform for Experimental Collaborative Ethnography, last modified 15 December 2021, accessed 23 November 2024. https://energyrights.info/content/pennsylvania-dep-proposes-strict-limits-‘forever-chemicals’-drinking-water
Critical Commentary
A board within Pennsylvania's Department of Environmental Protection has cleared the way for setting drinking-water limits for two forms of toxic man-made substances known as "forever chemicals" because they do not break down in humans and the environment. These chemicals are knmown as PFAS, and the proposed rule would be stricter than the limited set forth by the federal EPA: 14 parts per trillion for PFOAs and 18 parts per trillion for PFOS compared to 80 parts per trillion for both.
In 2018 New Jersey was the first state to set limits stricter than the EPA. Last month the federal EPA pledged to take steps to regulate toxic chemicals used in everyday products that have contaminated drinking water and the Biden administration has a strategy that creates enforceable standards, though these processes won't be complete until the end of 2023.
These chemicals have been used to make cookware, carpets, clothing, furniture and fabrics since the 1940s and have been associated with developmental, immune, liver, and endocrine issues. They are also associated with increases in cholesterol, liver enzymes, and uric acid levels as well as a decreased antibody response following vaccinations. In October, Pennsylvania told anglers not to eat fish caught alongside the Neshaminy Creek basin due to extremely high levels of PFOS.
The new proposed rule is based on water sampling, available treatment technologies, and health effects outlined by Drexel University’s PFAS Advisory Group. Perhaps we could find this advisory group. It's interesting to see the impact our university has.