The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) notified the fluorinated high-density polyethylene (HDPE) industry (manufacturers, processors, distributors, users and so-called disposers of fluorinated polyolefin containers) by letter on March 16, 2022, about the potential for per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) to form and migrate from these items. This risk was first flagged when Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility (PEER) contacted the Massachusetts Reclamation Board, the Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources’ (MDAR) Division of Crop and Pest Services, other state agencies and EPA Region 1 about its test results indicating that there were unspecified PFAS in a pesticide used for mosquito control in fall 2020. The Boston Globe subsequently reported about the potential impact on thousands of acres of land in southeastern Massachusetts aerially sprayed for mosquitos.
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