The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency on Friday designated a pair of widely used industrial chemicals as hazardous substances under the country’s Superfund program, accelerating a crackdown on toxic compounds known as “forever chemicals.”

The rule will require companies to report leaks of two of the most commonly used per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, or PFAS, and help pay to clean up existing contamination.

The EPA separately last week announced its first-ever drinking water standards to guard against PFAS pollution.

The new rule targets contamination from two PFAS known as PFOA and PFOS.

  • highduc@lemmy.ml
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    8 months ago

    All of the sudden? Have to say I wasn’t expecting this but I’m glad it’s happening.
    It’ll matter more what they do about it rather than what they say. Will they forbid the use of these chemicals in common products like waterproof clothing for example?
    Regarding any corporation being made to pay - lol, I strongly believe that will never ever happen.
    But I hope this will also motivate the EU to take action.