The economic impact — both costs and benefits — of the issuance of low parts per trillion standards for nearly ubiquitous PFAS compounds is something that will become clearer as businesses, municipalities, water suppliers and communities act to comply with regulatory standards that require they test for and remove these substances down to trace levels in drinking water and environmental … Continue Reading
U. S. EPA has established a Health Advisory Level for PFOA and PFOS in drinking water of 70 parts per trillion (“ppt”). Several states are regulating PFAS at the low parts per trillion level. For example, on June 1, 2020, the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection adopted maximum contaminant levels (“MCLs”) in drinking water for PFOA and PFOS of … Continue Reading
One of the potential challenges with starting and completing site characterizations for PFAS compounds (in addition to the lack of approved cleanup standards for many of the environmental media) is the lack of approved and/or certified laboratory analytical methodologies, both at the federal and state levels (in many states), for media other than drinking water and groundwater.
As noted by … Continue Reading
On December 20, 2019, the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) issued its Interim Recommendations for Addressing Groundwater Contaminated with Perfluorooctanoic Acid (PFOA) and Perfluorooctanesulfonate (PFOS) under federal cleanup programs, such the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA) and the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA). EPA’s guidance recommends the use of a “screening level” of 40 … Continue Reading
In 2019, the Attorney General of Illinois joined in a letter with 22 other states in urging Congress to address the public health threat associated with per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). This approach was no surprise, as the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency (IEPA) had, since 2018, determined that it was time to start assessing PFAS in the environment. See Annual … Continue Reading
On April 17, 2020, ITRC published its PFAS technical guidance that is the culmination of the efforts of a 400-person team over a three-year period that included public and private sector representatives. The guidance can be found here. According to ITRC, the Technical Guidance Document provides a summary of the current understanding of all aspects of PFAS from a … Continue Reading
In response to the COVID-19 emergency, and consistent with Gov. Tom Wolf’s Proclamation of Disaster Emergency of March 6, 2020, the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (PADEP) has developed guidance for those permit holders and operators who have questions about their obligations during this time.
PADEP COVID-19 Emergency Request to Temporarily Suspend Regulatory Requirements and/or Permit Conditions. … Continue Reading
Regulatory attention is focused on the presence of certain man-made substances in the environment at trace levels (parts per trillion or ppt). The science regarding whether these trace levels cause harm is not well developed. However, there is growing awareness that some of these substances are detectable in nearly all U.S. blood samples, and they are commonly present in drinking … Continue Reading
PFAS State Survey: Standards and Guidance Values for PFAS in Groundwater, Drinking Water and Surface Water
Source: Interstate Technology Regulatory Council (“ITRC”) PFAS Fact Sheets updated as of January 2020.
To see the specific state standards or guidance for groundwater, drinking water and surface water refer to Table 4-1 on the ITRC website: https://pfas-1.itrcweb.org/fact-sheets/
As of February 2020, … Continue Reading
On January 22, 2020, the Environmental Working Group, “EWG”, a U.S. activist organization, released a report contending that PFAS contamination of tap water is far more prevalent than previously reported. The EWG report was picked up by the national press and widely reported with headlines raising the alarm regarding the levels of PFAS in drinking water supplies in major U.S. … Continue Reading