The Biden administration has put forth a new rule that would add two of the most common PFAS, toxic chemical compounds dubbed “forever chemicals,” to its hazardous substances list. Under the Superfund law, classifying the two chemicals, called PFOA and PFOS, as hazardous means that any release of these substances that meets or exceeds a certain threshold must be reported to federal, state, or tribal authorities. The Environmental Protection Agency will also be able to require polluters to clean up sites for public health and use taxpayer money on cleanups if it can’t find culprits. Though many American manufacturers have voluntarily discontinued their use of PFOA and PFOS, these PFAS have remained in limited use, in the environment and in items like cookware, carpets and firefighting foams, because they don’t degrade. The larger group of PFAS, which is a term short for perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances, have been used in consumer products like stain-resistant rugs and cosmetics since the 1940s. They can build up in drinking water, soil and stay in the human body and are linked to health issues like cardiovascular problems and cancer. “It’s a very significant step,” EPA Administrator Michael Regan told The Washington Post. The proposed rule “requires the polluter to pay for violating the law.”
