E.P.A. and the Comprehensive Plans to Make Manufacturers Pay and Clean Up Dangerous Chemicals
— With PFAS chemicals linked to serious health risks, the U.S. strengthens its Superfund law—holding polluters accountable and aiming to protect Pennsylvania residents and beyond.
It is no secret that the United States government has been making plans to limit Pennsylvania residents' exposure to hazardous chemicals.
The United States government is adding more funding to the Superfund bill after the E.P.A. decided to add two novel toxic chemicals to the list of dangerous chemicals. The Superfund bill, first enacted in 1980, allows the government to tax manufacturers under the Superfund law. The money is then used to clean up the environment, with a particular focus on toxic chemicals from industries.
Most industries produce toxic chemicals as a byproduct of manufacturing, which is why the bill is part of their financial responsibility. This makes these companies take a large chunk of the responsibility, giving a financial lease to the American taxpayer. This way, the United States government can also increase efficiency and coverage, cleaning up more waste from more counties and states in the same timeframe.
The novel adjustment to the old bill gives the government this power over companies that specifically use or give off certain chemicals. The two chemicals in question are perfluorooctanoic acid and perfluorooctanesulfonic acid, commonly called PFOA and PFOS. These substances are hazardous to humans, making them two to watch out for.
It is quite dangerous that they are waste substances of certain companies. Most companies do not follow the waste disposal standards, meaning the public is left to fend for themselves. Something significant needs to be done about this, which is why the Superfund bill was signed into law in the first place.
A quick peek at the dangerous compounds
The hazardous chemicals mentioned above are part of a more prominent family of hazardous substances known as per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances or, more simply, PFAS. Since they are used in manufacturing, you can find them in almost everything known to man - children's toys, firefighting foams, and even dental floss. Also, because they are manufactured, they take a long time to dissolve in the environment, which is why they are found in drinking water.
According to the Environmental Protection Agency, these groups of chemicals have been associated with many illnesses. Some of these illnesses are increased risk of prostate, metabolic disorders, and developmental delays in children. Other illnesses include decreased fertility in women and testicular and kidney cancers, to say a few.
PFAS chemicals are so common that they are in almost every American's blood. A recent government study found that these substances are in over half of the country's tap water supply. This is why there must be such a vast and undying focus on properly monitoring and disposing of these chemicals.
Interestingly, just a week ago, the E.P.A. mandated that water utilities were safe and that they had reduced the level of PFAS in drinking water to almost zero. The agency also proposed adding seven novel PFAS chemicals and substances to the known PFAS group.
Conclusion
In short, the U.S. government is taking the issue of PFAS contamination seriously. Manufacturers can no longer ignore the impact of their waste on people and animals.
"It is time for companies to take responsibility for their pollution and for the government to protect the environment and public health," says attorney Rustin Smith of Smith Hulsey Law. The new rule is in place, and it needs to be followed.
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