EPA to designate ‘forever chemicals’ as hazardous substances

By MATTHEW DALY
Associated Press

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Environmental Protection Agency says it’s designating two “forever chemicals” used in cookware, carpets and firefighting foams as hazardous substances. That clears the way for quicker cleanup of the groups of toxic compounds known as PFAS. Designation as a hazardous substance under the Superfund law means releases of two chemicals in that group called PFOA and PFOS at certain levels would have to be reported. The EPA could then require cleanups to protect public health and recover cleanup costs. The Natural Resources Defense Council calls the EPA’s Friday announcement an important step to clean contaminated sites nationwide. The American Chemistry Councilsays the EPA proposal is “expensive” and “unworkable.”