These steps are in line with Endocrine Society recommendations.
On April 10, the Biden-Harris Administration issued the first-ever national, legally enforceable drinking water standard to protect communities from exposure to harmful per-and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), also known as ‘forever chemicals.’
As part of the administration’s commitment to combatting PFAS, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced a $1 billion investment as part of President Biden’s Investing in America agenda to address PFAS in drinking water.
Coincidentally, the Endocrine Society wrote to the EPA last year supporting a strong drinking water standard for PFAS, highlighting the need for upgrades in water treatment facilities to remove contamination given that there may be no safe level for exposure to these chemicals.
The Society has long recognized the harmful effects of PFAS, including their effects on the endocrine system, and has been a leader in educating policymakers about these chemicals and encouraging regulators to take urgent steps to minimize exposure to these endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs).
Exposure to PFAS has been linked to deadly cancers, impacts to the liver and heart, and immune and developmental damage to infants and children. This final rule represents the most significant step to protect public health under EPA’s PFAS Strategic Roadmap. The final rule will reduce PFAS exposure for approximately 100 million people, prevent thousands of deaths, and reduce tens of thousands of serious illnesses.
The Endocrine Society wrote to the EPA last year supporting a strong drinking water standard for PFAS, highlighting the need for upgrades in water treatment facilities to remove contamination given that there may be no safe level for exposure to these chemicals.
“Drinking water contaminated with PFAS has plagued communities across this country for too long,” said EPA Administrator Michael S. Regan. “That is why President Biden has made tackling PFAS a top priority, investing historic resources to address these harmful chemicals and protect communities nationwide. Our PFAS Strategic Roadmap marshals the full breadth of EPA’s authority and resources to protect people from these harmful forever chemicals. I am proud to finalize this critical piece of our Roadmap, and in doing so, save thousands of lives and help ensure our children grow up healthier.”
EPA is taking a signature step to protect public health by establishing legally enforceable levels for several PFAS known to occur individually and as mixtures in drinking water. This rule sets limits for five individual PFAS: PFOA, PFOS, PFNA, PFHxS, and HFPO-DA (also known as “GenX Chemicals”). The rule also sets a limit for mixtures of any two or more of four PFAS: PFNA, PFHxS, PFBS, and “GenX chemicals.” By reducing exposure to PFAS, this final rule will prevent thousands of premature deaths, tens of thousands of serious illnesses, including certain cancers and liver and heart impacts in adults, and immune and developmental impacts to infants and children.
EPA estimates that between about 6% and 10% of the 66,000 public drinking water systems subject to this rule may have to take action to reduce PFAS to meet these new standards. All public water systems have three years to complete their initial monitoring for these chemicals. They must inform the public of the level of PFAS measured in their drinking water. Where PFAS is found at levels that exceed these standards, systems must implement solutions to reduce PFAS in their drinking water within five years.
The new limits in this rule are achievable using a range of available technologies and approaches including granular activated carbon, reverse osmosis, and ion exchange systems. Drinking water systems will have flexibility to determine the best solution for their community.
Recognizing the harmful effects of PFAS, including their effects on the endocrine system, the Endocrine Society has been a leader in educating policymakers about these chemicals and encouraging regulators to take urgent steps to minimize exposure to these endocrine-disrupting chemicals.
EPA will be working closely with state co-regulators in supporting water systems and local officials to implement this rule. In the coming weeks, EPA will host a series of webinars to provide information to the public, communities, and water utilities about the final PFAS drinking water regulation. To learn more about the webinars, please visit EPA’s PFAS drinking water regulation webpage. EPA has also published a toolkit of communications resources to help drinking water systems and community leaders educate the public about PFAS, where they come from, their health risks, how to reduce exposure, and about this rule.
More details about funding to address PFAS in Drinking Water
Through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, EPA is making an unprecedented $21 billion available to strengthen our nation’s drinking water systems, including by addressing PFAS contamination. Of that, $9 billion is specifically for tackling PFAS and emerging contaminants. The financing programs delivering this funding are part of President Biden’s Justice40 Initiative, which set the goal that 40% of the overall benefits of certain federal investments flow to disadvantaged communities that have been historically marginalized by underinvestment and overburdened by pollution.
Additionally, EPA has a nationwide Water Technical Assistance program to help small, rural, and disadvantaged communities access federal resources by working directly with water systems to identify challenges like PFAS; develop plans; build technical, managerial, and financial capacity; and apply for water infrastructure funding. Learn more about EPA’s Water Technical Assistance programs.
More details about the final PFAS drinking water standards:
- For PFOA and PFOS, EPA is setting a Maximum Contaminant Level Goal, a non-enforceable health-based goal, at zero. This reflects the latest science showing that there is no level of exposure to these contaminants without risk of health impacts, including certain cancers.
- EPA is setting enforceable Maximum Contaminant Levels at 4.0 parts per trillion for PFOA and PFOS, individually. This standard will reduce exposure from these PFAS in our drinking water to the lowest levels that are feasible for effective implementation.
- For PFNA, PFHxS, and “GenX Chemicals,” EPA is setting the MCLGs and MCLs at 10 parts per trillion.
- Because PFAS can often be found together in mixtures, and research shows these mixtures may have combined health impacts, EPA is also setting a limit for any mixture of two or more of the following PFAS: PFNA, PFHxS, PFBS, and “GenX Chemicals.”
EPA is issuing this rule after reviewing extensive research and science on how PFAS affects public health, while engaging with the water sector and with state regulators to ensure effective implementation. EPA also considered 120,000 comments on the proposed rule from a wide variety of stakeholders.
Combatting PFAS Overseas
In the European Union, the European Parliament and Council agreed on a ban of PFAS in food contact materials (FCMs), implemented along with an earlier proposed ban on bisphenol A (BPA) and other bisphenols in FCMs. This outcome follows significant negotiations between the three European institutions and represents a major victory for public health consistent with our priorities.
Endocrine Society members have advocated for months in support of strong measures to reduce exposure to bisphenols and PFAS in the EU, and we were successful in strengthening these proposals as they developed, for example by working to prevent so-called regrettable substitutions through the inclusion of “other bisphenols” in the BPA proposal.
The Endocrine Society welcomes these important steps to reduce exposures to harmful EDCs and we look forward to opportunities to reduce exposures in other sectors of the economy through policy and regulatory processes.
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