By: Daisy Clennon
PFAS is short for per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances. It is an umbrella term for manmade chemicals that have a carbon and fluorine atom backbone. PFAS encompasses PFOA (Perfluorooctanoic acid) and PFOS (Perfluorooctanesulfonic acid) as well as hundreds of other compounds. PFAS are used in industrial processes and consumer products such as non-stick cookware, grease resistant paper, fast food wrappers, microwave popcorn bags, stain-resistant carpets and fabrics, cleaning products, and more. PFAS frequently get into groundwater though industrial factories, military bases, and also because they are used in firefighting foams. PFAS contaminates soil and water and can contaminate food grown in contaminated circumstances.
PFAS take a very long time to break down, so they build up in organs and tissues. Scientists are still learning about the health risks from PFAS, but the chemicals have been linked to affecting growth, learning, and behavior of children, lowering a woman’s chance of pregnancy, interfering with the body’s natural hormones, increasing cholesterol, affecting the immune system, and increasing risk of cancer. Lab animals exposed to PFAS have shown problems with liver, thyroid, and pancreatic functions. PFAS has been widely used since the 1950s and has recently come to national attention through crises in Hoosick Falls, NY, Plainfield Township, MI, Parkersburg, W. VA, and Parchment, MI.
So far, PFAS have been found in dozens of states, including Vermont, New Hampshire, Michigan, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Colorado, New York, North Carolina, West Virginia, Washington, Kansas, Massachusetts, Arkansas, Alabama, Minnesota, California. Many impacted communities are near military bases, airports, and industrial sites, where PFAS are used. Most people in the United States have some level of PFAS in their body. A sample done by the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey found that the average blood levels of PFAS in Americans are as follows: PFOA is 2.1 parts per billion, the average level of PFOS is 6.3 parts per billion, and the average level of PFHxS is 1.3 parts per billion.
So what is being done in 2019 about this contaminant?
State level bills about PFAS are working their way through at least 13 states, including Michigan, Massachusetts, Kentucky, and Connecticut. Many bills center around making sure PFAS can’t be used in firefighting foam or in food packaging. States are also struggling to set PFAS contaminant levels. A Michigan state bill would limit PFOA and PFOS to 5 parts per trillion, considerably lower than the EPA advisory limit of 70 parts per trillion. After a PFOA crisis in Bennington, Vermont state legislators set the limit to 20 parts per trillion for PFOA, PFOS, PFHxS, PFHpA, and PFNA combined.
On the federal level, a bipartisan bill has been introduced that would add PFAS to the list of chemicals covered by CERCLA (Superfund) legislation. This would allow the EPA to work towards cleaning up PFAS sites. Furthermore, on January 23rd, Rep. Dan Kildee of Michigan and Brian Fitzpatrick of Pennsylvania initiated a bipartisan task force with at least 18 other Congress members. The task force will hold informational events to educate other members of Congress about PFAS, craft legislation to address PFAS contamination, meet with committee chairs to ensure PFAS is addressed, and fight for funding through federal appropriations to clean up PFAS contamination.
The EPA has not yet released its decision on adding PFAS to Superfund legislation. Reports say they will not be regulating PFAS through the Safe Drinking Water Act. This has not been confirmed, but lawmakers have slammed the apparent decision. Michigan legislators have said that they will act if the EPA refuses to. Rep. Kildee said that “while the Trump administration has claimed it wants to address PFAS, they have been all talk and no action,” and the other leader of the bipartisan task force, Rep. Fitzpatrick, said “If the EPA refuses to do its job, Congress must intercede.”
You can track policy details for state PFAS legislation here, and keep up to date with PFAS news here.
You can also sign this petition, to tell Congress to enact a total ban on the production and use of PFAS by 2020. CHEJ is planning a training call/webinar with Nationwide PFAS Coalition that will provide a general overview of the PFAS situation nationally, and include a discussion of what groups are working on now at the state and federal level.
UPDATE: EPA released their action plan on Thursday, February 14th. The plan lists PFOA and PFOS as pollutants or contaminants under CERCLA (Superfund), but not as a hazardous substance. EPA has “initiated the regulatory development process to designate PFOA and PFOS as CERCLA “hazardous substances”, which would extend CERCLA order and cost recovery authorities.” It also states that EPA plans to take the “first step” to regulate PFAS under the Safe Drinking Water Act by the end of the year. It does not say when regulations will be put into place.
Daisy Clennon, mtengenezaji wa PFAS, aliandika: Ni neno la jumla kwa ajili ya kemikali zilizotengenezwa na wanadamu ambazo zina uti wa mgongo wa atomu ya kaboni na fluorini. PFAS ni pamoja na PFOA (perfluorooctanoic asidi) na PFOS (perfluorooctanesulfonic asidi) pamoja na mamia ya misombo mingine. PFAS hutumiwa katika michakato ya viwanda na bidhaa za watumiaji kama vile vyombo vya kupikia visivyo na kunata, karatasi sugu ya mafuta, vifuniko vya chakula cha haraka, mifuko ya popcorn ya microwave, mazulia na vitambaa vya kuzuia madoa, bidhaa za kusafisha, na zaidi. PFAS huingia mara nyingi katika maji ya chini ya ardhi kupitia viwanda vya viwanda, misingi ya kijeshi, na pia kwa sababu hutumiwa katika povu za kuzima moto. PFAS huchafua udongo na maji na inaweza kuchafua chakula kilichokuzwa katika hali ya uchafuzi. PFAS huchukua muda mrefu kuharibika, na hivyo hujikusanya katika viungo na tishu. Wanasayansi bado wanajifunza juu ya hatari za afya kutoka kwa PFAS, lakini kemikali hizo zimeunganishwa na kuathiri ukuaji, kujifunza, na tabia ya watoto, kupunguza nafasi ya mwanamke ya ujauzito, kuingilia homoni za asili za mwili, kuongeza kolesteroli, kuathiri mfumo wa kinga, na kuongeza hatari ya saratani. Wanyama wa maabara waliowekwa chini ya PFAS wameonyesha matatizo na kazi za ini, tezi-kibofu, na kongosho. PFAS imekuwa ikitumiwa sana tangu miaka ya 1950 na hivi karibuni imepata uangalifu wa kitaifa kupitia mgogoro katika Hoosick Falls, NY, Plainfield Township, MI, Parkersburg, W. VA, na Parchment, MI. PFAs zimepatikana katika majimbo kadhaa ya Marekani, ikiwa ni pamoja na New Hampshire, Vermont, Michigan, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Colorado, New York, North Carolina, West Virginia, Washington, Kansas, Massachusetts, Arkansas, Alabama, Minnesota, California na New Jersey. Jamii nyingi zilizoathiriwa ziko karibu na misingi ya kijeshi, viwanja vya ndege, na maeneo ya viwanda, ambapo PFAS hutumiwa. Watu wengi nchini Marekani wana kiwango fulani cha PFAS katika mwili wao. Kwa mujibu wa utafiti uliofanywa na National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, kiwango cha wastani cha PFAS katika damu ya watu wa Marekani ni kama ifuatavyo: PFOA ni sehemu 2.1 kwa bilioni, kiwango cha wastani cha PFOS ni sehemu 6.3 kwa bilioni, na kiwango cha wastani cha PFH na H2S ni sehemu 1.3 kwa bilioni. Kwa hivyo, ni nini kinachohusika katika kutengeneza 2019 kwa ajili ya mazingira ya mazingira? Sheria za serikali kuhusu PFAS zinaendelea kutekelezwa katika majimbo 13 ya Marekani, ikiwa ni pamoja na Michigan, Massachusetts, Kentucky na Connecticut. Mikataba mingi inazingatia kuhakikisha PFAS haiwezi kutumika katika povu ya kuzima moto au katika ufungaji wa chakula. Serikali za nchi zinafanya kazi kwa bidii ili kuandaa viwango vya PFAS. Sheria ya jimbo la Michigan inazingatia PFOA na PFOS kuwa sehemu 5 kwa trilioni, chini sana kuliko kiwango cha ushauri wa EPA cha sehemu 70 kwa trilioni. Baada ya mgogoro wa PFOA huko Bennington, Vermont, wabunge wa jimbo waliweka kikomo cha sehemu 20 kwa trilioni kwa PFOA, PFOS, PFH, PFH na PFNA pamoja. Katika nchi za Ulaya, sheria ya kuondoa PFAS imechapishwa na kuingizwa katika orodha ya kemikali zinazohusishwa na sheria ya CERCLA. Hii itawezesha EPA kufanya kazi kuelekea kusafisha maeneo ya PFAS. Katika mkutano wa Jumatatu, Dan Kildee wa Michigan na Brian Fitzpatrick wa Pennsylvania walianzisha kikundi cha kazi cha chama cha Republican na angalau wanachama wengine 18 wa Bunge. Timu hiyo ya kazi itashiriki katika shughuli za kuelimisha wanachama wengine wa Bunge kuhusu PFAS, kutunga sheria za kukabiliana na uchafuzi wa PFAS, kukutana na viongozi wa kamati ili kuhakikisha PFAS inashughulikiwa, na kupigania fedha kupitia mipango ya shirikisho ili kusafisha uchafuzi wa PFAS. EPA bado haijatoa uamuzi wake juu ya kuongeza PFAS kwa sheria ya Superfund. "Kama ilivyoelezwa hapo juu, sheria ya PFAS haitaweza kuondolewa kwa njia yoyote, kwa sababu ya ""Sheria ya Maji ya Kunywa Salama.""" Hii haijathibitishwa, lakini wabunge wamekosoa uamuzi huo dhahiri. Wawakilishi wa Michigan wamesema kwamba watatenda ikiwa EPA itakataa. "Kilde alisema ""wakati utawala wa Trump umedai wanataka kushughulikia PFAS, wamekuwa wote kuzungumza na hakuna hatua,"" na kiongozi mwingine wa kikosi cha kazi cha vyama viwili, Rep. Fitzpatrick, alisema ""Ikiwa EPA inakataa kufanya kazi yake, Congress lazima kuingilia kati.""" "Kama ilivyoelezwa katika ombi la Congress, ""Kupiga marufuku kabisa uzalishaji na matumizi ya PFAS ifikapo mwaka 2020.""" Mkutano wa mafunzo wa kitaifa wa PFAA (National PFAA Coalition) unawasilisha taarifa ya jumla ya hali ya PFAA nchini, pamoja na majadiliano ya vikundi vinavyofanya kazi sasa katika ngazi ya serikali na shirikisho. EPA ilitoa mpango wao wa hatua Alhamisi, Februari 14. PFOA na PFOS ni vitu vya hatari kwa mazingira, lakini hazina athari kwa mazingira. EPA imeanzisha mchakato wa maendeleo ya udhibiti wa PFOA na PFOS kama CERCLA, ambayo itaongeza mamlaka ya kuagiza na kuokoa gharama za CERCLA, na pia inadai kuwa EPA imepanga kuchukua hatua ya kwanza ya kudhibiti PFAS chini ya Sheria ya Maji ya Kunywa Bure ifikapo mwisho wa mwaka. Haisemi ni lini kanuni zitawekwa mahali.