The Environmental Protection Agency's new drinking water standards target only six of over 10,000 harmful forever chemicals, leaving a vast number unregulated.
Joseph G. Allen writes for The Washington Post.
In short:
- The EPA's new standards focus on six known harmful forever chemicals linked to serious health issues, but thousands more remain unregulated.
- Manufacturers have largely stopped using the six regulated chemicals but continue using many other forever chemicals, with limited disclosure on which ones.
- The resilience and prevalence of the fluorine-carbon bond in these chemicals mean they persist in the environment and human bodies indefinitely.
Key quote:
"We have a right to know what we’re buying and could end up in our bodies."
— Joseph G. Allen, associated professor, Harvard University
Why this matters:
Forever chemicals pose significant health risks and persist in the environment, necessitating comprehensive regulation and consumer transparency to ensure public safety. Relying solely on industry self-regulation or slow governmental action leaves the public vulnerable to exposure.
