EPA Halts Fast-Track Approvals for So-Called Forever Chemicals
A newly implemented regulation mandates that chemicals utilized in a diverse array of products must complete thorough safety evaluations prior to their production.
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) revised its regulations on Tuesday, ensuring that PFAS—commonly known as forever chemicals—cannot be expedited for approval via an exemption process.
PFAS, short for per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, make up a group of forever chemicals prevalent in numerous products. They earned this nickname due to their resistance to breakdown, allowing them to persist in the environment. Additionally, they have been associated with serious health risks.
The revised regulations aim to guarantee that PFAS are subjected to extensive safety evaluations prior to their manufacturing. The EPA indicates that this adjustment is focused on safeguarding public health and the environment by requiring PFAS to go through the agency’s full risk assessment protocol.
“Today, we’ve modernized our chemical reviews and continued to protect people from unsafe new PFAS,” Freedhoff, the EPA’s assistant administrator for the Office of Chemical Safety and Pollution Prevention, stated.
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PFAS are incorporated in numerous products, including cookware and firefighting foam, and have been associated with various health issues, such as certain cancers, kidney problems, and infertility. Their accumulation in the environment and in the tissues of humans and animals has raised significant concerns.
With the updated rule, manufacturers are required to submit comprehensive details regarding a chemical’s applications, exposure risks, and health effects prior to receiving approval.
Moreover, the rule broadens the EPA’s oversight of chemicals categorized as persistent, bioaccumulative, and toxic, implementing stricter regulations for substances that pose considerable risks.
These changes represent part of the EPA’s larger initiative to enhance its chemical review process following the amendments to the Toxic Substances Control Act in 2016, which mandate a thorough risk assessment for new chemicals before market entry.
The rule will be enacted 30 days after its official announcement in the Federal Register.
