A new cycle for the Unregulated Contaminant Monitoring Rule (UCMR) is underway and Babcock Laboratories is ready to help our clients meet new testing demands. We are pleased to announce that Babcock has been selected by the USEPA to provide small systems support through a contract with the agency. In 2021 Babcock received full EPA approval to conduct UCMR 5 testing using EPA Methods 200.7, 533, and 537. Between these three testing methods, our lab can provide high quality analyses for all 30 compounds included in this year’s…
PFAS Continues to Dominate Regulatory Response
Across the nation, state and federal agencies are renewing their efforts to end the toxic legacy of per– and polyfluoroalkyl substances. 2021 saw a flurry of PFAS-related legislation and proposals from both California and the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) that is carrying over into 2022. To help breakdown the state and federal government’s response to widespread PFAS contamination, here is a snapshot of the latest news in the PFAS pipeline:
Governor Newsom Signs New PFAS Bills and OEHHA Lists PFOS under Prop 65
Governor Newsom signed two major PFAS bills this fall on October 5th: AB 1200 and AB 652. Under AB 1200, or the California Safer Food Packaging and Cookware Act of 2021, no plant-based food packages with “intentionally added” PFAS may be sold or distributed after January 1, 2023. The law also requires cookware manufacturers to disclose if certain chemicals, including PFAS, are present in their products. A list of disclosed chemicals must be available online by January 1, 2023 and on the physical product by January 1, 2024. The law further prohibits manufacturers from claiming their products are free of a specific chemical, like PFOA, unless the product is also…
A Quick Year in Review: 2021
2022 is here and we are all excited to see what this year will bring. But before we dive into new discussions, developments, and events, we would like to reflect on some important industry news that broke last year. Looking back at the unique challenges and topics of 2021 may help predict how our industry will change as we progress through the new year…
Congress and States Take Action Against PFAS
Amid nationwide pressure to end the toxic legacy of these “forever chemicals,” a new tide of state and federal per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) legislation is inundating the country. Last month, Michigan Representatives Debbie Dingell and Fred Upton, along with 25 other members of Congress, introduced a bold new PFAS Action Act to the House of Representatives. The proposed bill includes some far-reaching provisions like establishing certain PFAS as “hazardous substances” under the Superfund law--an action that remains highly controversial.
This year alone, over 180 bills concerned with PFAS will be under consideration in 27 states. Many of these laws aim to establish safe drinking water levels, phase out PFAS based firefighting foams, allocate money towards research and remediation of PFAS, and address PFAS in consumer products, particularly in food packaging. Outside California, states that have recently passed laws concerning PFAS include…
PFAS Remediation - Time To Clean Up Our Act
With our world waking up to the realization some everyday products contain forever chemicals known as PFAS, per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, scientists and engineers are working to find the most cost-effective, efficient, and environmentally responsible way to remediate them. The financial and technical challenges of remediating PFAS are cause for serious concern. With over 2,300 contaminated sites across the United States to clean-up, we need an efficient method for removing these toxic chemicals from our water, soil, and biota. But remediation efforts currently face two enormous hurdles: who will pay, and how will we clean up the environmental mess we are just beginning to uncover?
Biosolids: The Ultimate Recycling Success Story
In the wastewater treatment world, biosolids are often seen as the ultimate recycling success story. Biosolids are the nutrient-rich organic byproducts resulting from wastewater treatment and over 60% of biosolids produced nationally in the U.S. are land applied. They are used in agriculture, landscaping, forestry, and even by homeowners on lawns and gardens. Although biosolids are under scrutiny once again due to the source of their composition—human and industrial waste—preliminary evidence suggests that the beneficial use of biosolids rests on solid ground.
To learn more about the future of biosolids, new Babcock staff member, Colleen Thompson, interviewed Greg Kester, Director of Renewable Resource Programs at the California Association of Sanitation Agencies (CASA). Greg is the subject matter expert when it comes to emerging issues regarding all renewable energy, recycled water, biosolids, and climate change mitigation. “Biosolids have a plethora of benefits, they assist in creating healthy soils which help crop growth, they are significant mitigators of climate change, reduce irrigation use, offset the use of inorganic fertilizers, and essentially are the best example of recycling,” said Kester. In fact, many agricultural areas depend on biosolids to help…