EPA reveals new recommendations for 'forever chemicals' in drinking water far lower than the new Wisconsin standards
Laura SchulteMADISON – The federal government on Wednesday released a host of new recommended health limits for "forever chemicals," with numbers drastically lower than standards Wisconsin passed this week.
In its announcement, the Environmental Protection Agency invited states and territories to apply for the $1 billion in funding made available to address PFAS by the Bipartisan Infrastructure package passed earlier this year.
The new interim standards are 0.004 parts per trillion for PFOA, 0.02 parts per trillion for PFOS, 10 ppt for GenX chemicals and 2,000 ppt for PFBS.
PFOA and PFOS are two of the most well-researched and well-known compounds in the PFAS family. GenX chemicals were created following the phase-out of PFOS and PFOA.
By contrast, Wisconsin is set to implement standards for drinking water at 70 parts per trillion for PFOA and PFOS. Those limits matched the federal guidance put in place in 2016.
The new federal recommendations for PFOA and PFOS were created based on human studies in populations exposed to the compounds, according to a news release from the agency.
"Human studies have found associations between PFOA and/or PFOS exposure and effects on the immune system, the cardiovascular system, human development, and cancer," the release said.
The recommendations for the other two compounds were based on animal studies.
The new recommended standards aren't binding laws, meaning the EPA can't enforce them. The standards are meant to provide information to state agencies and other public health officials about health impacts, analytical methods and treatment technologies associated with PFAS contamination, according to a release by the agency.
Debra Shore, administrator for EPA's Region 5, which includes Wisconsin, said during a Wednesday afternoon event that the levels were set so low because the agency believes that is what's best for Americans.
"This is a health advisory that lowers the levels that we think are protective of human health by orders of magnitude more than we've seen before," she said. "It's taking time, it's true. But science takes time. And we're issuing this new health advisory today, because the science has changed. We've learned a lot more since the last health advisory was issued in 2016."
Shore said the health limits are only the first step for the EPA, which is looking to start the formal rulemaking process for PFAS later this year.
"The first step through this health advisory is to find out, to do research, to take samples and to test our water sources all over the country to see what the levels are in our public water treatment facilities," she said. "Then we need to find the source through a variety of measures and take action."
Shore highlighted that through the infrastructure program passed late last year, states and local governments will have access to the funding needed to address this issue, including $1 billion a year for underserved communities and $7 billion more in various drinking water funds.
PFAS — or per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances — are a family of man-made chemicals used for their water- and stain-resistant qualities in products like clothing and carpet, nonstick cookware, packaging and firefighting foam. The family includes 5,000 compounds, which are persistent, remaining both in the environment and the human body over time.
More:'Forever chemicals' linked to high blood pressure in women, new study shows
The chemicals have been linked to types of kidney and testicular cancers, lower birth weights, harm to immune and reproductive systems, altered hormone regulation and altered thyroid hormones. The chemicals enter the human body largely through drinking water.
The compounds have been found in a number of Wisconsin communities over the last several years, including Marinette, Peshtigo, Wausau, Eau Claire, Milwaukee, Madison and Mosinee.
More: Here's where testing has located PFAS of 'forever chemicals' in Wisconsin drinking water
The new federal recommendations leave a wide gap with the state's standards for how much contamination is acceptable for drinking water in the state.
Lawmakers Wednesday let the standard of 70 parts per trillion for drinking water stand, and the rules could go into effect as early as mid-July, with testing of large public water systems being required starting as early as November.
But it remains to be seen if policymakers will go back to the drawing board to create new standards that look more like the federal recommendations.
'Help is on the way'
Environmental advocates celebrated the new federal guidelines, viewing them as a way to more adequately protect not only humans but also the natural resources the state relies on to draw in tourism.
During the Wednesday afternoon event, DNR Secretary Preston Cole said Wisconsin has 97 sites throughout the state that are impacted by PFAS and said action needs to be taken to make sure the waters of the state are clean, not just for drinking but for recreation as well.
"We have an $18 million outdoor recreation economy in jeopardy. I worry about our outdoor natural resources-based economy and the communities that are encumbered by PFAS," he said.
He said that if the state doesn't take an aggressive stance on the compounds, Wisconsin could lose out on new residents and tourism.
"Will they pick Wisconsin? Will they pick our communities?" he said. "That's what's at stake."
But he said the guidelines handed down by the EPA and the new standards passed in Wisconsin are going to help the state progress.
"You get a sense now, with the Governor's clean water for all, with the Biden administration providing funding, with rulemaking that has occurred in the state of Wisconsin, we now have a path forward to help communities in a more robust way," he said. "And whether it's lead laterals or PFAS, help is on the way."
Residents of impacted communities in Wisconsin are celebrating the new limits, too.
Doug Oitzinger, a Marinette city council member and former mayor, was happy to see the new recommended limits.
"This changes everything," he said. "The pollution lobby has been pointing to the EPA's 70 ppt (health action limit) for years to justify Wisconsin not setting its own standards. Now what are they going to say?"
Environmental groups said the new federal recommendations show that we can't cast doubt on the risk PFAS pose to human health anymore.
"EPA’s updated health advisory is based on the latest scientific studies, which indicate the safe level of PFAS in drinking water is near zero," said Peg Sheaffer, the communications director for Midwest Environmental Advocates.
"We expect government officials to prioritize the health and safety of Wisconsin families by setting enforcement standards in line with EPA’s updated health advisory, holding PFAS polluters accountable and helping local water utilities secure the resources they need to provide safe drinking water to their communities."
Not all organizations are supportive of the new limits. The American Chemistry Council questioned the scientific studies behind them, and whether the limits are too protective.
"The Agency's revised (health action limits) for PFOA and PFOS are based on toxicity assessments that are currently being reviewed by EPA's Science Advisory Board. Rather than wait for the outcome of this peer review, EPA has announced new advisories that are 3,000 to 17,000 times lower than those released by the Obama administration in 2016," the group said in a news release Wednesday. "These new levels cannot be achieved with existing treatment technology, and, in fact, are below levels that can be reliably detected using existing EPA methods."
Laura Schulte can be reached at leschulte@jrn.com and on Twitter at @SchulteLaura.