PFAS | Common News Update

May42022 by adminNo Comments

Maine passes first PFAS biosolids ban, taking stand against forever chemicals

Science

BANGOR, Maine, May 4 (UPI) -- Maine has become the first state to ban fertilizer using sewage sludge containing "forever chemicals" -- synthetic compounds found in items from food wrappers to carpeting that fail to break down in the environment. The move, along with a ban approved last year on all PFAS-containing products, puts Maine at the forefront of the fight against per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, which have been linked to a variety of health problems, including cancer and high cholesterol. The chemicals accumulate over decades, filtering into soil, water, plants and animals -- and eventually into people's bloodstreams. "Maine is one of the few states that is really taking this problem seriously and taking action to address the issue," Jared Hayes, a policy analyst with the Envi...

Elevated levels of PFAS found in water in Miami, New York, Philadelphia, other major cities

Science

Jan. 22 (UPI) -- A new study of tap water samples across the United States has revealed PFAS compounds, human-made chemicals linked with a variety of health problems, to be more prevalent than earlier surveys. The new study, organized by the Environmental Working Group, involved the testing of tap water samples from 44 locations in 31 states. "We found PFAS in all but one sample, which is pretty incredible," Sydney Evans, science analyst with EWG, told UPI. Tests revealed elevated levels of PFAS in dozens of American cities, including Miami, New York, Philadelphia and Washington, D.C. Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, or PFAS, are a class of synthetic compounds used in a variety of industrial processes and found in dozens of household items. The newest research suggests these chemica...

House passes bill regulating PFAS use, cleanup on military bases, in drinking water

Business

Jan. 13 (UPI) -- A bill requiring the Pentagon to work with communities to clean up chemical contamination in drinking water passed in the House, but faces an uncertain future. The PFAS Action Act of 2019, which the House of Representatives passed on Friday, requires the reclassification of two types of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, or PFAS, as hazardous materials. If the law is enacted, perfluorooctanoic acid, or PFOA, and perfluoroactanesulfonic acid, or PFOS, would be reclassified as toxic substances. Contaminated areas would be classified as Superfund sites, accelerating their cleanup process. PFOA and PFOS are the key ingredients of foams used by the U.S. military for firefighting, although the Defense Department has limited their use in training, and can be found in drinking...