EPA to set limits for chemicals
Brown criticizes EPA’s plan for area water; Turner supports it.
It could be months to years before the federal government regulates harmful chemicals found in the local water supply. Studies have linked these chemicals to health problems, including cancer, liver complications and reproductive issues.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced Thursday it is implementing its “first-ever comprehensive nationwide Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances Action Plan.”
The agency says the plan would address contaminants that are
impacting water sources at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base and the city of Dayton, but some critics say it is not enough.
EPA Regional Administra- tor Cathy Stepp and EPA Prin- cipal Deputy Assistant Admin- istrator for Water Anna Wildeman detailed the plan during a news conference Thursday, pointing out the impact that the chemicals have had on part of the water supplies at Wright-Patt and in Dayton. The plan includes:
■ The EPA moving forward with the maximum contami- nant level (MCL) process outlined in the Safe Drinking Water Act for PFOA and PFOS — two of the most well-known and prevalent PFAS chemicals. The agency will propose a regulatory determination, which is the next step in the Safe Drinking Water Act process for establishing an MCL. No specific dates were given regulating MCL standards.
■ The agency will issue interim groundwater cleanup recommendations for sites contaminated with PFOA and PFOS. Currently, there are no set guidelines for clean- ing up PFAS contamination.
■ The EPA will propose to include PFAS in nationwide drinking water monitoring under the next Unregulated Contaminant Monitoring Program. The agency will also consider PFAS chemicals for listing in the Toxics Release Inventory to help the agency identify where these chem- icals are being released, the agency said Thursday.
■ The agency will develop new analytical methods so that more PFAS chemicals can be detected in drinking water, in soil, and in groundwater.
Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances — known regularly as PFAS — are a group of manmade chemicals that include different types of substances including PFOA, PFOS, GenX and others. PFAS can be found in some firefighting foams, household products like water-repellent fabrics, nonstick products like Teflon, waxes, polishes, and even some food packaging, according to the EPA.
The health effects of PFOS, PFOA, PFHxS and PFNA have been more widely studied than other per- and polyfluo- roalkyl substances, according to the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry. Some studies in humans with PFAS exposure have shown that it can:
■ affect growth, learning, and behavior of infants and older children.
■ increase the risk of cancer.
■ affect the immune system.
■ interfere with the body’s natural hormones and lower a woman’s chance of getting pregnant.
PFAS chemical compounds turned up in March at Dayton’s Ottawa Water Treatment Plant, the first time the compounds — believed to be safe when below 70 ppt for lifetime exposure — were detected in water after the treatment process. The chem- icals have also been found in part of the Wright-Patterson Air Force Base’s water supply.
Both the city and the base used firefighting foam that they determined was likely the cause of the contami- nation.
“For the first time in Agency history, we utilized all of our program offices to construct an all-encompassing plan to help states and local communities address PFAS and protect our nation’s drinking water,” said EPA Acting Administrator Andrew Wheeler, in a statement. “We are moving forward with several important actions, including the maximum contaminant level process, that will help affected communi- ties better monitor, detect, and address PFAS.”
Sen. Sherrod Brown, D-Ohio, said the plan did not answer key questions about drinking water safety. Earlier this month, Brown joined a bipartisan letter calling on EPA to set federal drinking water standards for PFOA and PFOS.
“All Americans have the right to safe drinking water and the EPA needs to set a clear, strict standard for these contaminants,” said Brown. “Americans should never have to fear for their health, or their child’s health, when they turn on the faucet. We need the EPA to prove to us that it’s on the people’s side and not the side of the chemical companies that have exposed millions to these toxic substances.”
Congressman Mike Turner, R-Dayton, said in a statement that he strongly supported the comprehensive action plan laid out by the EPA — encour- aging the process of listing PFOA and PFOS, both found in our community’s water, as hazardous substances.
“Additionally, I am pleased to see the EPA has begun its process of listing PFOA and PFOS, both found in our community’s water, as hazardous substances,” he said in a statement. “By designating these as hazardous, it will allow for our community to have increased access to federal tools to clean up the groundwater sites where the chemicals have been found. This action plan is a strong step forward for our community to continue to ensure our water is safe.”