Environmental Industry Updates
The Latest News on Scientific and Regulatory Updates from Merit Laboratories
A recent update from the Environmental Working Group (EWG) estimates that the number of manufacturers and users of PFAS in the United States has increased more than 12 times the previous estimate. The industrial sites are suspected of releasing PFAS into the environment, including drinking water sources.
The U.S. House passed the PFAS Action Act of 2021. The legislation would require the U.S. EPA to administer a national primary drinking water standard for PFAS chemicals within two years. Some of the specific bill highlights include restricting industrial discharges of PFAS; allocating $200 million annually for wastewater treatment; and limiting the incineration of PFAS wastes.
Oil and gas companies used PFAS in hydraulic fracturing operations in over 1,200 wells in six states, according to a report published by the Physicians for Social Responsibility (PSR). The report, Fracking with Forever Chemicals, links oil and gas operations in Arkansas, Louisiana, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Texas, and Wyoming, with using PFAS as part of fracking operations, between 2012 and 2020.
In a new PFAS research study, scientists at the University of Notre Dame have detected PFAS in many of the most commonly used cosmetics, including the highest levels in mascara, lipstick, and foundation. The study, Flourinated Compounds in North American Cosmetics, published by the American Chemical Study in June, found that more than half (52%) of all cosmetics tested contained had high fluorine concentrations.
Rainwater in the Great Lakes region contains alarming levels of the toxic chemical PFAS, according to data from a joint Environmental Protection Agency and Canada monitoring network, as detailed in a recent article from EWG.
The EPA recently announced changes in policy to new PFAS before it can enter the market. The current administration has made a commitment to focus on PFAS pollution and protect human health and the environment. Previously, some new PFAS were allowed to enter the market through low volume exemptions (LVEs).
The Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE) released an update on the foam that often appears on Lakes and Streams. The EGLE routinely receives complaints about foam on rivers or lakes. This foam can be naturally occurring foam or foam caused by environmental pollution. Many things can be introduced into a lake or stream that may cause foam to form.
The Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE) recently began requiring wastewater treatment plants that land apply biosolids to have PFAS laboratory testing performed prior to the land application. The EGLE Water Resources Division started sending out notifications about this new program to affected parties this year. Merit Laboratories provides analytical laboratory testing for PFAS in biosolids sample matrices to support its wastewater clients meet their regulatory requirement obligations
On March 11, 2021, the EPA proposed the fifth Unregulated Contaminant Monitoring Rule (UCMR 5) UCMR 5, which will require sample collection for 30 chemical contaminants, including PFAS. The testing will occur between 2023 and 2025 using analytical methods developed by EPA and consensus organizations.
The number of PFAS contaminated sites in the United States continues to expand at a rapid pace. According to the PFAS Contamination Site Tracker, managed by Northeastern University’s Social Science Environmental Health Institute (SSEHRI), there are now 1,244 sites with PFAS contamination and 1,114 water systems contaminated with PFAS.
