Activists in some communities impacted by 'forever chemicals' have criticized the EPA and the government for moving too slowly to address the issue.
Environmental Protection Agency chief Andrew Wheeler says the agency is working"aggressively" to develop regulations around a concerning group of chemicals, known as"forever chemicals," because they don't break down naturally in the environment.
Some types of the chemicals have been linked to health problems such as kidney disease or some kinds of cancer. The EPA announced a proposal on Monday that would require facilities using the chemicals to track and report how much they release. Wheeler said the agency is also poised to announce guidance for how to clean up the chemicals when high levels are found in groundwater and take the next step to update the amount of the chemicals that is considered safe in drinking water in the coming weeks.
Wheeler also said he doesn't support some legislation that has been proposed by members of Congress critical of EPA's response to the chemicals. Bills introduced in the House and Senate could designate all types of PFAS chemicals as hazardous or set a limit for how much is considered acceptable in drinking water.
EPA also announced $4.8 million in grants to research the impact of chemical contamination in agriculture and food, particularly in milk produced by dairy farms where cows have been exposed to the"forever chemicals." Wheeler said that research will help the EPA and the Department of Agriculture understand if the chemicals are spreading into the food supply.
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