[Blog] What lessons should we learn from the PFAS crisis?
3 Dec 2020 | Union of Concerned Scientists
U.S. chemical regulation is designed to rapidly approve new chemicals rather than adequately evaluate chemical danger.
Toxic PFAS chemicals discovered in hundreds of products
2 Dec 2020 | The Intercept
Climbing ropes, guitar strings, and hand sanitizer are among the newly reported uses for the toxic “forever” chemicals.
Toxic ‘forever chemicals’ found in pesticide used on millions of Mass. acres when spraying for mosquitoes
1 Dec 2020 | Boston Globe
Now, after years of criticism from environmental advocates who have long raised health concerns about the expensive treatment known as Anvil 10+10, the pesticide has been found to also contain an array of toxic compounds known as PFAS.
Tests reveal toxic ‘forever chemicals’ in aerial pesticide showered over millions of acres in US
1 Dec 2020 | Common Dreams
The manufacturer claimed that PFAS were not used in the production, manufacturing, or distribution of either the active or inactive ingredients of the pesticide found to contain 250 ppt of PFOA, 260–500 ppt of GenX, a replacement for PFOA.
Neighbors want to know what Sauget incinerator is burning
28 Nov 2020 | Fairfield Citizen
Environmental activists are concerned the incinerator could start burning PFAS firefighting foam.
Polymer-coated electrode detects PFAS in water
25 Nov 2020 | C&EN
Instead of bringing water samples back to the lab for analysis, researchers would like to have a continuous field monitor. ”We knew that electrochemistry potentially would be sensitive and selective enough to detect PFAS, and it’s rather inexpensive,” Dick says.
Contaminants in NJ soil and water are toxic, documents reveal
25 Nov 2020 | The Intercept
Solvay had previously withheld information about the PFAS chemicals on the grounds that it was “confidential business information.”
Solvay workers found to have unregulated PFAS in their blood, documents show
25 Nov 2020 | Consumer Reports
The company, which says it now plans to phase out the chemicals, has known of potential risks for at least 15 years, internal studies show.
‘Dark Waters’ attorney: New ‘forever’ chemicals pose threat to environment, human health
24 Nov 2020 | Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
Mr. Bilott said. “The regulators need to address GenX as a class of chemicals because it’s impossible for the EPA to keep track of and regulate every one.”
Duty to defend: Under North Carolina law, insurer must defend personal injury claims arising from direct exposure to AFFF despite “hazardous materials exclusion” in CGL policy
24 Nov 2020 | Fox Rothschild
The terms “discharge,” “dispersal,” “release,” and “escape” are particular environmental terms of art in this context, and a “discharge, dispersal, release, or escape” of a pollutant must be into the environment to trigger the pollution exclusion clause and deny coverage.
First-of-its-kind study estimates daily PFAS dietary exposure from vegetables in adults and children
23 Nov 2020 | Mines Newsroom
The team used real-world data from PFAS-contaminated groundwater to conduct a hazard analysis of a theoretical farm comparing different risk estimates based on established state, federal, and international toxicity reference doses.
Pittsboro task force recommends “deep discounts” so poor residents can afford clean drinking water
23 Nov 2020 | North Carolina Health News
The Pittsboro Drinking Water Task Force wants the town to provide deeply discounted reverse osmosis filtration systems to low-income residents while it continues to explore permanent solutions for a community rocked by contaminated drinking water.
[Press Release] Governor Cuomo signs legislation banning incineration of firefighting foam containing PFAs in certain New York cities
23 Nov 2020 | New York State
Under the new law, incineration of this foam is prohibited in cities designated as Environmental Justice areas by the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation where the population is between 16,000 and 17,000 residents.
Newly released data disclose Navy knew of toxic PFAS chemicals in groundwater at Grumman ‘fence line’ in 2016
21 Nov 2020 | Riverhead Local
The Navy had not previously disclosed the data on PFAS chemicals in samples taken at the fence line system dating back to December 2017 — and in one instance, September 2016.
State: 193 discharge facilities report PFAS
20 Nov 2020 | Colorado Politcs
A map of discharge permit-holders mostly indicated a potential or actual presence of foam or other PFAS-containing material along the Front Range and pockets of the Western Slope.