The Biden administration Thursday issued draft health-based recommendations for three “forever chemicals” in water bodies, a key step toward controlling release of the substances that have polluted the tap water of tens of millions of Americans.
The draft recommendations set the level of PFAS in rivers, streams and lakes that are considered acceptable from a human health perspective. Once finalized, they could be used by states to crack down on potential PFAS sources, such as plastic manufacturers and sewage treatment plants.
But the fate of the new recommendations — also known as human health criteria — is uncertain under the incoming Trump administration. President-elect Donald Trump has vowed to rescind or weaken a range of environmental regulations, and industry groups are asking him to target PFAS policies as part of that agenda.
The draft recommendations target PFOA, PFOS and PFBS, three of the most widely studied PFAS that are strongly linked to cancer and suppressed immune systems in humans. The levels are based on the latest available science about the substances’ toxicity, EPA said.
