Things are not moving in the right direction when it comes to addressing widespread contamination of our drinking water, soil, food, air, and consumer products with dangerous PFAS chemicals. Action Alert!
Listen to the audio version of this article:
THE TOPLINE
- Federal regulators and Congress are rolling back protections against PFAS contamination, approving new uses of these “forever chemicals” and delaying critical drinking water limits—despite well-documented links to cancer, birth defects, and other serious health risks.
- Provisions in spending bills allow PFAS-laden sewage sludge to be spread on farmland, weaken restrictions on military and consumer uses, and shift cleanup costs from polluters to taxpayers.
- With PFAS now contaminating the drinking water of an estimated 95 million Americans, the government’s retreat from oversight prioritizes corporate interests over public health, underscoring the urgent need for a class-wide ban and investment in safer alternatives.
EPA and Congress Put Polluters First
Congress and President Trump’s EPA continue to weaken existing standards when it comes the extensive contamination of our world with per- and polyfluoroalkyl chemicals, known commonly as “PFAS.” The result of these actions is to expose us to more of these chemicals, which do not break down in the environment and are linked with serious health risks like cancer, birth defects, kidney disease, and more. If other changes go through, taxpayers rather than industry will be responsible for footing the bill for cleaning up PFAS pollution. We need to send a loud message to the EPA and Congress that we will not stand by quietly as they cater to polluters’ interests rather than the public good.
PFAS in Sewage Sludge and Our Food Supply
A Congressional spending bill contains a provision that prevents the EPA from finishing and implementing a risk assessment on PFAS in sewage sludge used to fertilize farmland (see section 507 of this bill). This is an issue we first reported on a few years back. Sewage sludge, sometimes referred to as “biosolids,” is municipal sewage that has been processed to obtain clean water, leaving behind a concentrated sludge full of contaminants. This used to be dumped into the ocean until the practice was banned in 1988 because it was too toxic. Now it’s being used to grow our food—in fact, it is the mechanism by which we believe PFAS made it into most of the supermarket kale samples we tested in our 2023 pilot study.
The Human Cost of Contaminated Land
The consequences of PFAS in sewage sludge can be devastating. One family in Maine found out that, before they bought their land, previous owners had fertilized using sewage sludge for years; the new owners found the water on the property contained 400 times more PFAS than the level considered safe by the state.
Military Rollbacks and New Loopholes
In defense spending bills, Congress is considering further rollbacks on PFAS regulation. A Senate bill lifts a moratorium on military incineration of waste products consisting of PFAS and—astoundingly—reverses a ban on the use of two types of PFAS in cookware and other products provided to military families on bases. A House bill extends a deadline to phase out the use of PFAS-containing firefighting foam.
EPA Weakens Oversight Again and Again
Sadly, these are just the latest of several key actions to weaken PFAS oversight and regulation. The EPA has approved four new PFAS-laden pesticides. In June, the agency announced it was scrapping drinking water limits set for four chemicals and delaying until 2031 the implementation of drinking water limits for PFOA and PFOS.
Redefining Risk to Protect Industry
In May, there were reports that the EPA was going to use a revised framework whereby the agency would assess the risks of chemicals only by their individual uses, rather than evaluating the full scope of harm posed by the chemical itself. Because PFAS—and many other dangerous chemicals—are often used in small quantities in any one product, this change allowed the EPA to claim that most consumer goods containing PFAS do not pose an “unreasonable risk.”
Abandoning Critical Protections
In February, the EPA withdrew a critical proposal aimed at regulating the discharge of PFAS from the chemical manufacturing sector, a key source of PFAS contamination in our water supply.
The Revolving Door of Industry Influence
The crony cherry on top of this toxic cake? Steven Cook—an ex-lawyer for chemical companies fighting PFAS cleanup rules—is now at the EPA, pushing to scrap those very same rules.
What Are PFAS and Why Do They Matter?
PFAS are a group of more than 16,000 synthetic chemicals that have earned the nickname “forever chemicals” because they do not break down in the environment. Found in everything from nonstick pans and waterproof jackets to food packaging, cosmetics, and even tea bags, PFAS are now nearly impossible to avoid. Even more concerning, PFAS exposure has been linked to cancer, liver and kidney disease, birth defects, immune system disruption, and developmental issues in children.
An Escalating Public Health Crisis
PFAS contamination is not an abstract or future threat—it is happening now. An estimated 95 million Americans have PFAS in their drinking water. These chemicals are accumulating in our bodies, poisoning wildlife, and polluting our land and waterways.
Enough is Enough
The federal government’s recent actions reflect a dangerous retreat from science and public health in favor of corporate interests. PFAS chemicals have been allowed to contaminate our water, food, and bodies for far too long—and now the government is actively dismantling what few protections existed. Enough is enough. We need a comprehensive class-wide ban on PFAS and a serious national investment in safer alternatives. Let’s not wait another 60 years for justice.
Action Alert!
