Strong new limits for some PFAS compounds in drinking water set by the US Environmental Protection Agency this week are being celebrated for how far they go in reducing exposures to the dangerous chemicals.
But public health advocates say the rules merely represent a first step that is limited in its impact on the broader PFAS crisis because they do not directly prevent more pollution or force the chemical industry to pay for cleanup.
“The EPA is not going to succeed this way – they have to define PFAS broadly and ban all non-essential uses. Otherwise, we’re not getting out of the contamination crisis,” said Kyla Bennett, a former EPA official now with the non-profit Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility (PEER).