‘Forever Chemical’ Water Limits Unduly Late, EPA Admits (2)

The EPA acknowledged Wednesday it has unduly delayed drinking water limits for the two most well-studied chemicals within the huge “forever chemicals” group.

“We should have had a drinking water standard for PFOA and PFOS years ago,” Radhika Fox, EPA’s assistant administrator for water, told the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee.

The hearing focused on the Environmental Protection Agency’s responses to the presence of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, of PFAS, also dubbed “forever chemicals,” in the environment, particularly in U.S. waters. Fox referred to perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and perfluorooctane sulfonic acid (PFOS), which the agency has known to be ...