The EPA moved to weaken Biden-era drinking water limits for several PFAS compounds by killing strong limits for four compounds and delaying implementation for two more. Public health advocates said strong limits and major reductions in PFAS production are necessary. Administration leaders emphasized PFAS destruction technology and EPA investment in industry efforts, implying regulations were not required to address the crisis. The proposed approach mirrors carbon capture strategies used by fossil fuel interests, which can appear to offer solutions while allowing continued pollution. Technology that fully destroys PFAS at industrial scale does not currently exist, and deployment timelines remain unclear. PFAS are a large class of thousands of compounds used to make products resistant to water, stains, and grease.
"The EPA last week announced it is moving to kill strong Biden-era drinking water limits around four Pfas compounds, and delaying implementation for two more. It represented a blow to public health advocates say strong limits and a dramatic cut in the production of the dangerous chemicals are imperative. Still, the press conference was billed as a Pfas destruction event, and administration leaders largely spent their time touting an explosion in destruction technology, and EPA investment in industry efforts to protect public health by eliminating the chemicals."
"They were, in effect, suggesting they had a solution to a crisis that did not require the drinking water regulations. The problem with the Trump plan: technology that fully destroys Pfas does not exist, and while progress is being made in its development, it is unclear when if ever it may be deployed on an industrial scale. The idea that the administration is going to destroy its way out of the Pfas problem is nonsensical."
"It parallels fossil fuel industry attempts to use unreliable carbon capture technology as a solution both offer the appearance of meaningful action while allowing industry to continue to profit and pollute at the expense of public health. No one has said they can destroy Pfas on a large scale, said Bennett, who is now with the Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility (Peer) non-profit. From what we know about Pfas, this is not going to work, and to say We're going to destroy it so we don't need to regulate it' is bullshit."
"Pfas are a class of at least 16,000 compounds most frequently used to make products water-, stain- and grease-resistant."
Read at www.theguardian.com
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