What are Regulations of PFAS by Environmental Protection Agency?
Everyone requires clean and safe drinking water. One way that EPA is dedicated to keeping our communities safe is by tackling PFAS. Better science, better future regulation, and enhanced public health safeguards will all be bolstered by these steps. These initiatives, taken combined, will aid the agency's efforts to better understand and, eventually, mitigate the hazards posed by this large class of chemicals.
Under the Safe Drinking Water Act, the EPA is reissuing final regulatory findings for perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and perfluorooctanesulfonic acid (PFOS) and is proposing the Fifth Unregulated Contaminant Monitoring Rule (UCMR 5) to gather additional data on PFAS in drinking water (SDWA).
What are PFAS?
Because of their inability to degrade naturally over time, perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are sometimes referred to as "forever chemicals." These hazardous compounds have been discovered in water sources. It is present in the blood of 99.9% of the world's population.
Sources of PFAS
PFAS can be found in a wide range of products, including Teflon pans, fire retardants, cosmetics, dental floss, food packaging, clothes, cleaning supplies, and more. Manufacturers will be compelled to submit particular details on the chemicals they employ to generate their goods under the new standards.
There haven't been any strict PFAS guidelines in place before recently!
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recently regulated these man-made poisons, which pose serious and perhaps fatal health dangers to millions of people.
In 2016, a suggested (but unenforceable) health warning level for PFAS in drinking water was set at 70 parts per trillion. Scientists now think those amounts are dangerous to human health. If local water utility businesses fail to comply with the EPA's new rules, they will face repercussions.
In June 2021, the EPA proposed a regulation requiring all PFAS makers (including importers) to provide EPA with a wide range of data, including information on how they use specific PFAS, for any year since 2011.
Administrator Regan proposed the formation of a new "EPA Council on PFAS" on April 27, 2021, to expand on the agency's continuing efforts to better understand and, eventually, mitigate the potential hazards posed by these chemicals.
Toxicity Assessment for PFBS has been updated
The Agency produced new PFBS toxicity assessment in April 2021, which was written by professional career scientists and subjected to thorough external peer review.
New PFAS must go through a rigorous review process
By announcing a significant policy adjustment in its accelerated evaluation of new PFAS in April 2021, the EPA made an important step towards protecting communities from new PFAS entering the market.
Establishing a PFOA/PFOS National Primary Drinking Water Standard
EPA announced a final conclusion to regulate PFOA and PFOS in February 2021, while also examining other PFAS and proposing regulatory steps to address groupings of PFAS.
PFAS in Drinking Water Monitoring to be expanded across the country
EPA re-proposed and started creating the final Fifth Unregulated Contaminant Monitoring Rule (UCMR 5) in February 2021, in order to provide additional data on 29 PFAS that are crucial to improving EPA's knowledge of PFAS impacts on community drinking water.
Conclusion
EPA will go on with the national main drinking water regulatory development process for PFOA and PFOS now that the Regulatory Determinations for these two PFAS have been finalised. The Regulatory Determinations also indicate routes that the agency is contemplating for further evaluating other PFAS chemicals, as well as giving the agency the freedom to analyse groupings of PFAS based on the best available science.
Furthermore, the proposed UCMR would give new data that is crucial to EPA's understanding of how frequently and at what doses 29 PFAS are detected in the nation's drinking water systems.
If you are curious to know more about the regulations set by EPA for PFAS, contact one of our expert advisers via phone at+919650608473 or contact via email at enquiry@netsolwater.com
