Two toxic, widely used "forever chemicals" are now classified as hazardous substances under a new rule that the Biden administration finalized on Friday.
Why it matters: The rule, under the federal Superfund law, will require companies to report any leaks of the two chemicals and will allow the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to hold polluters accountable by forcing them to clean up their contamination.
- The rule builds on other recent actions that the Biden administration has taken to curb per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) pollution.
- The EPA recently announced the first-ever drinking water standards targeting some of the synthetic compounds.
What they're saying: "Designating these chemicals under our Superfund authority will allow EPA to address more contaminated sites, take earlier action, and expedite cleanups, all while ensuring polluters pay for the costs to clean up pollution threatening the health of communities," EPA Administrator Michael Regan said in a statement on Friday.
The other side: The American Chemical Council, which represents major PFAS producers, in a statement on Friday said it "strongly" opposes the EPA's action.
- It claimed the federal action was based on "severely flawed" science and was an "unworkable means to achieve remediation for these chemicals."
Threat level: PFAS are dubbed "forever chemicals" because they resist degradation by repelling oil and water and withstanding high temperatures.
- Used extensively in nonstick, water- and oil-repellent and fire-resistant industrial and consumer products, PFAS can bioaccumulate in people, livestock, wildlife and fish if they enter the environment and water sources.
- The health effects of the chemicals are still being studied, but exposure to certain levels of PFAS has been linked to adverse health effects in humans and animals, including increased risk of kidney or testicular cancer.
Driving the news: The EPA's new rule only applies to two specific types of PFAS — PFOA and PFOS — but there are over 12,000 different types of PFAS.
- While PFOA and PFOS have been the most widely used PFAS throughout history, they are no longer produced in the U.S., as chemical manufacturers and other companies have turned to other PFAS in recent years.
- However, PFOA and PFOS are still produced internationally and can be imported into the U.S. in consumer goods.
- Because there are so many PFAS, multiple Environmental groups have called on the EPA to regulate the substances as a class instead of taking action against individual chemicals.
Zoom out: PFAS contamination is extensive throughout the U.S., with federal studies suggesting that the chemicals can be detected in almost half of the nation's tap water.
- Private studies have also shown widespread PFAS contamination in water systems, while other research has indicated that people living in Hispanic and Black communities are disproportionately exposed to PFAS.
- Since 1999, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention scientists have consistently detected multiple PFAS in blood serum samples from nearly all people who take part in its annual National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey.
The big picture: In recent years, major chemical producers have agreed to pay billions to settle claims from U.S. water providers over their production and handling of PFAS.
- Other companies, like fast food corporations, have begun making promises to phase out the use of PFAS in their products.
- Several research teams in the U.S. and around the world are searching for new ways to destroy forever chemicals and filter them from water systems.
Go deeper: EPA unveils new rules to curb toxic emissions at U.S. chemical plants
Editor's note: This story was updated with comment from The American Chemical Council.
