Air Force allocates $13.5 million toward Oscoda PFAS remediation
3 Mar 2020 | Iosco News
“When it comes to our water, we need to think about environmental security the way we think about homeland security...” Rep. Elissa Slotkin (MI-08) expressed.
Officials seek to prohibit incineration of firefighting foam
3 Mar 2020 | Troy Record
Despite the fact that the safety of incineration as a method to dispose of PFAS firefighting foam is still being evaluated by the US EPA, the DOD entered into a contract with the Norlite facility in Cohoes, to incinerate PFAS firefighting foam without appropriate environmental review and was previously incinerating PFAS foam at the facility.
DuPont owes $50 million in PFAS cancer cases, jury finds
3 Mar 2020 | Bloomberg Environment
This combined trial is the first since the company entered a $670.7 million settlement to end roughly 3,500 pending cases in 2017 for plaintiffs seeking damages. These verdicts now set the tone for roughly 50 other suits piling up in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Ohio.
Press release: Cleaning products could expose children to dangerous contaminants at child care facilities
2 Mar 2020 | IU Bloomington Press Release
The researchers were surprised that some PFAS were present in the dust at child care facilities at levels higher than in homes in the U.S. and Canada. Even more surprising was that the dust contained unexpectedly high levels of fluorotelomer sulfonates, a class of PFAS used in cleaners, waxes and polishes.
First batch of Pellston water tests detect PFAS in some area wells
29 Feb 2020 | Up North Live
Bottled water if need is being provided and plumbers are being scheduled so filters can be installed on any home that has detections.
Palo PFAS study finding ‘good news’
29 Feb 2020 | Daily News
If PFAS is found in the wells residents can call the health department to request the installation of a filter. The health department covers the cost, and then is reimbursed by the state.
EPA conducting criminal investigations into industries’ handling of PFAS chemicals
27 Feb 2020 | EWG Press Release
In an update to its 2020 PFAS Action Plan, the EPA included details about the new probes, stating it “has multiple criminal investigations underway concerning PFAS-related pollution.”
PFAS class actions over groundwater contaminated by toxic firefighting foam settled by Federal Government
27 Feb 2020 | ABC News
An "in-principle" settlement has been reached between the Australian Government and residents of three communities who had their groundwater contaminated by toxic firefighting foams used at defence bases until the early 2000s.
Women firefighters face high exposure to toxic PFAS chemicals
26 Feb 2020 | ScienceDaily
PFHxS, PFUnDA, and PFNA were detected at significantly higher amounts in firefighters' blood, compared to office workers' blood.
Should you be concerned about what’s in your drinking water?
25 Feb 2020 | Lenconnect.com
The short answers from a state official and representatives of a Petoskey-based water quality advocacy group are: Yes, you should always be vigilant about what’s in your water, but to what degree depends on many factors.
EPA closer to regulating PFAS in drinking water
20 Feb 2020 | Bloomberg Environment
In addition to proposing to regulate PFOA and PFOS, the EPA is asking for data and information including new monitoring and health effects data to decide whether regulation is appropriate for other chemicals in the PFAS family.
[Press release] Department of defense illegally burning stockpiles of toxic “forever chemicals”
20 Feb 2020 | EarthJustice
The Department of Defense sued over its contracts to burn millions of gallons of unused firefighting foam containing PFAS in incinerators across the country. PFAS resist incineration and do not break down under temperatures and conditions that are sufficient to destroy other toxic chemicals. Incomplete incineration may result in PFAS emissions, as well as other toxic chemicals like hydrogen fluoride, which is poisonous, corrosive and flammable.
Nearly half the country working on PFAS rules as EPA drags feet
19 Feb 2020 | Bloomberg Environment
States that have opted to act are deciding how much PFAS is safe to drink, and what should be done about contaminated water sources. Most states have focused on two of the better-understood chemicals in the PFAS family—PFOA and PFOS—while others are assessing the safety of five or more.
UArizona granted $1.5M to study firefighters’ health risks
15 Feb 2020 | KTAR.COM
Researchers will be testing the blood and urine of firefighters to determine the precise amounts of PFAS in their bodies, along with zeroing in on the best practices for limiting overall exposure to the potentially harmful chemicals.
Airport enters multi-district PFAS lawsuit
13 Feb 2020 | MVTimes
The airport is attempting to recoup mitigation expenses spent making sure neighbors of the airport property have clean and safe water to drink.