EPA board to review new data on PFAS exposure effects

By Staff Report | Coastal Review | November 17, 2021

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"The Environmental Protection Agency has asked its science advisory board to review new data that suggest certain per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, or PFAS, can cause negative health effects at lower levels of exposure than initially thought and one in particular is likely carcinogenic.

Officials said Tuesday that the agency is committed to science-based approaches to protect public health from exposure to perfluorooctanoic acid, or PFOA, and perfluorooctane sulfonic acid, or PFOS, including updating drinking water health advisories with new peer-reviewed approaches and developing national primary drinking water regulations for these contaminants.

“Under our new PFAS Strategic Roadmap, EPA is moving aggressively on clear, robust, and science-based actions to protect communities suffering from legacy PFOA and PFOS contamination,” said EPA Administrator Michael S. Regan in a statement. “This action will ensure a rigorous review from experienced scientists to strengthen our understanding of this preliminary information as the agency works toward developing revised health advisories for PFOA and PFOS, and soon establishing regulations that protect communities from these contaminants.”

The science advisory board is to review four draft documents with recent scientific data and new analyses that indicate negative health effects may occur at much lower levels of exposure to PFOA and PFOS than previously understood and that PFOA is a likely carcinogen. The draft documents present EPA’s initial analysis and findings with respect to this new information."