Critics also stressed that there was very little data on the toxicity of some excluded chemicals, and permitting the use of PFAS with little toxicological data has led to problems. The EPA in November reported GenX, PFOA and PFOS – three widely used compounds – are much more toxic than previously thought, noted Kyla Bennett, a former EPA scientist now with Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility.
“That’s the biggest issue: the EPA just doesn’t know,” she said. “I would rather use the precautionary principle and capture chemicals that maybe don’t deserve to be regulated as strongly than miss [dangerous chemicals].”
