Perfluorooctanoic Acids

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Congress and States Take Action Against PFAS

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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…

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PFAS Remediation - Time To Clean Up Our Act

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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?