On April 10, 2024, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) issued the first-ever national, legally enforceable drinking water standard to protect Americans from exposure to harmful per-and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), also known as “forever chemicals” due to their inability to break down over time and their accumulation in the human body and the environment. EPA has also announced $1 billion in funds available for PFAS testing and clean-up in state, territory, and private drinking water supplies.
Just ahead of the recent announcement, on April 9, EPA also released an updated guidance for industry on destroying and disposing of PFAS.