The EPA Proposes Regulations for PFOA and PFOS

The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) plans to propose enforceable limits on perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and perfluorooctanesulfonic acid (PFOS) in drinking water; replacing the EPA’s 2016 advisory level of 70 parts per trillion for these chemicals (individually or combined). The EPA also plans to designate PFOS and PFOA as hazardous substances under the federal Superlaw fund, triggering their cleanup at hazardous waste sites. If finalized, the designation would require companies and federal facilities to report releases of the chemicals into the environment and make those organizations liable for cleanup. The EPA also intends to set non-enforceable advisory levels for other members of the per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) class of chemicals in drinking water.