Shitstain's EPA Announces PFAS Plan: No Limits; Instead, Lots Of "Listening Sessions", "Outreach"
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) on Thursday announced that it plans to tackle deadly chemicals found in many household items — from non-stick pans to dental floss — which are linked to cancer and other health problems. But experts, environmentalists, and impacted communities say it doesn’t go far enough.
The action plan unveiled on Feb. 14 does not establish Maximum Containment Levels (MCL) for the group of man-made chemicals known as per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) — essentially kicking efforts to really address the problem to a later date. The levels are standards are set by the EPA regarding drinking water quality, including what it deems are safe levels of contaminants.
Republicans and Democrats alike have sought a legal limit for PFAS in drinking water and the EPA has been under increasing pressure to do so. Acting EPA Administrator Andrew Wheeler emphasized on Thursday that the agency plans to set a limit — just not right now. At present, the EPA has not issued an MCL for PFAS in drinking water. Instead, a non-enforceable health advisory level of 70 parts per trillion exists for two PFAS chemicals, PFOA and PFOS. And while Wheeler indicated on Thursday that he believes that amount is safe, experts have said the actual safe level of exposure is in fact much lower.
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“The vast majority of what [Wheeler] just announced already exists. The science, in particular for [PFOS and PFOA], already exists,” wrote Rob Allen, mayor of the PFAS-impacted village of Hoosick Falls, New York, in a tweet. “We know how to respond (and how not to) to the situation. There is so much literature out there related to this. This is very disappointing.” Environmental advocates responded similarly, with the Sierra Club proclaiming that the action plan “isn’t enough” and the Southern Environmental Law Center declaring the plan to be an “empty gesture.” “This so-called plan is actually a recipe for more PFAS contamination, not less,” said Scott Faber, senior vice president for government affairs for the Environmental Working Group, in a statement.
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https://thinkprogress.org/epa-pfas-pfoa-pfos-genx-chemicals-teflon-mcl-fb846bab2e35/