WASHINGTON — The EPA has proposed designating two “forever chemicals” as hazardous substances under the Superfund law.
The proposal released Friday would designate the two most widely used per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances — perfluorooctanoic acid, or PFOA, and perfluorooctane sulfonic acid, or PFOS — under the Comprehensive Environmental, Compensation and Liability Act. If finalized, it would require releases of one pound or more within a 24-hour period to be reported, which the agency said would provide it with better data as well as the option to require cleanups and recover costs.
“Under this proposed rule, EPA will both help protect communities from PFAS pollution and seek to hold polluters accountable for their actions,” said EPA Administrator Michael S. Regan, using the commonly used abbreviation for the group of chemicals.
