Utah advocates want restrictions on pesticides bringing ‘forever chemicals’ into the state

By Alixel Cabrera | Idaho Capital Sun | October 18, 2024

Read the full article by Alixel Cabrera (Idaho Capital Sun)

"The federal government may have taken historic steps to mitigate the exposure to “forever chemicals” called PFAS. However, for some health and environment advocates, that measure is just a drop in a larger fight against the chemicals.

The fact that in January the Environmental Protection Agency made an unprecedented recommendation to physicians to consider testing their patients’ blood for PFAS, making a distinction from other toxic chemicals, is testament enough of the effect they may cause, said Dr. Brian Moench, president of Utah Physicians for a Healthy Environment.

So, the federal guidelines to test and treat water systems for PFAS may not be enough to protect Utah residents, especially women, children and pregnant mothers from exposure. The next substantial step, Moench said, would require testing all pesticides, from chemicals used in large-scale agriculture and pest control operations down to what Utahns see on hardware store shelves, in the state for PFAS and to ban those that test positive."