Sarbanes Introduces Legislation to Better Identify and Mitigate PFAS Health Risks

August 1, 2022

Read the full article by John Sarbanes

"Congressman John Sarbanes (D-Md.) today introduced the PFAS Reference Standards Act, legislation which would take a critical first step to protecting communities against dangerous health risks. This legislation would enable the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to accurately identify and track more of the large class of toxic per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances commonly known as PFAS.

By requiring manufacturers to provide reference standards for all PFAS chemicals they produce, this legislation would equip EPA with the best available science to accurately identify and act faster to mitigate these dangerous “forever chemicals.”

PFAS, which are valued industrially for their sturdy, non-stick, water repellant and fire-retardant properties, can accumulate in the body through exposure over time and have been linked to many adverse health effects, including cancer, thyroid disease, developmental disabilities, immune system deficiencies and high cholesterol. For that reason, environmental contamination, in addition to the presence of PFAS in some consumer products and food packaging, is particularly troubling: testing by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has already found widespread exposure to PFAS across the country."