TOXINS ON TAP: Lawmakers are working to keep potentially dangerous fluorochemicals out of drinking water supplies.

AuthorFarquhar, Doug
PositionENVIRONMENT

They're pervasive in public water systems and around military bases across the country.

They've been found in public wells in Bucks and Montgomery counties in Pennsylvania and along the Cape Fear River in North Carolina. They've been detected in Oscoda and Kent counties in Michigan, and they've contaminated much of south-eastern New Hampshire. Pennsylvania established an action team to deal with them.

What are they?

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl chemicals, a large, diverse group of man-made substances with differing characteristics, formulations and intended uses. Collectively known as PFAS, the group includes perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), perfluoroc-tanesulfonic acid (PFOS), GenX and many other chemicals commonly used in food packaging, carpeting, stain- and water-resistant clothing, nonstick products and firefighting foams.

PFAS are useful in manufacturing because they repel oil, grease and water. They keep your takeout pizza from sticking to the box, for example. But they can migrate from packaging into food, and they take a long time to break down in the environment, where they make their way into drinking-water systems.

All told, there are thousands of PFAS chemicals, and scientists are only just beginning to understand their effects on human health. Lawmakers have taken notice, though, as research is showing that some of the chemicals may interfere with hormones, increase cholesterol levels, affect the immune system and increase the risk of cancer. They may affect the growth, learning and behavior of infants and children. And they may decrease a woman's chance of getting pregnant. Although much about the health effects of these chemicals is unknown, they are, nevertheless, still being used in numerous applications.

"People are scared of PFAS because so much is unknown," says Michigan Representative Peter MacGregor (R), whose district includes Kent County. The Michigan Legislature studied 17 PFAS-related bills in 2018.

Federal Response

Starting in the early 2000s, industry worked with EPA and other regulators to voluntarily phase out certain products--specifically PFOA and PFOS--which are no longer manufactured in the U.S., Europe or Japan. Since the voluntary phaseout, PFOS and PFOA levels in the U.S. population have declined dramatically, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

In May 2016, the EPA established a healm advisory--but not a regulatory standard--on the two chemicals. The advisory established the "safe"...

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