After several years of working to regulate "forever chemicals," the Environmental Protection Agency is now asking a federal court to reverse the EPA's own ban.
What's happening?
According to WCYB, the EPA filed a motion to reverse a ban on "forever chemicals" in drinking water on September 11.
A court document from that date explained that the EPA is now siding with petitioners who believed the ban was invalid.
This is a huge twist since, as WCYB reported, the EPA instituted this ban in the spring of 2024. The ban was in response to nationwide testing and growing evidence that the chemicals, which are also known as PFAS, cause cancer.
The Sierra Club of Tennessee's members have expressed concern over this decision.
"What it does is it delays," Dan Firth, the organization's solid waste and mining committee chair, told WCYB. "It means we have to endure the risks of the contamination from those PFAS for a longer period of time."
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Firth also mentioned that it's important to deal with them "sooner rather than later."
Unfortunately, the EPA has decided it won't enforce the ban until 2031. It will also only cover two types of PFAS.
Why is PFAS concerning?
PFAS stands for "perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances." They're called "forever chemicals" because they take what feels like forever to break down naturally.
They're in everything from cookware to cosmetics. While it's important to avoid products that contain PFAS, companies also hold responsibility to stop producing everyday products that feature these chemicals in the first place.
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Majorly 😥 More studies are showing that PFAS can have many detrimental effects on our bodies. From increased cancer rates to endocrine system disruption, PFAS can cause immense harm to humanity.
They also harm animals and other parts of our environment. This means that PFAS can negatively impact people's livelihoods, such as farming, and also damage our ecosystems.
This ban reversal can seem even more disappointing when you consider how long the EPA has worked to restrict PFAS.
According to WaterWorld, the EPA first learned of PFAS in the late 1990s. The EPA itself lists many actions it has taken over the last couple of decades to address and regulate PFAS.
What's being done about PFAS?
WCYB stated that a different environmental group has opposed the EPA's court motion.
"EPA asks this court to do what the Act forbids EPA from doing itself," the group said in a court filing, as WCYB reported.
While a single person can't solve this problem, getting involved with others can multiply the impact you could have.
For example, see if the Sierra Club or another environmental organization has a chapter in your community. You can also try having a conversation with your loved ones about PFAS.
Sharing knowledge and taking local action are two of the most effective ways to encourage change. Learning alone may not save the world, but it can make the action you take more informed and effective.
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