Understanding PFAS: For Healthy Drinking Water and Fire Safety

Transcription

1 Understanding PFAS: For Healthy Drinking Water and Fire Safety Arlene Blum, PhD and Tom Bruton, PhD Green Science Policy Institute 11/30/18 More info:

2 Class 1: Highly Fluorinated Chemicals PFOA or C8 (C8) Carbon-Fluorine bond strength: Leads to oil and water repellency Forever chemicals -- last for geologic time! Courtesy: Dr. Jennifer Field 2

3 Common Uses 3

4 Pathways to the Environment From California DTSC: Product-Chemical Profile for PFAS in Carpets and Rugs 4

5 PFASs exposure is a health concern Detectable serum PFASs Non-detect Exposure linked to health risks: Cancer, elevated cholesterol, obesity, immune suppression, and endocrine disruption Courtesy, Cindy Hu, Harvard University (Ref: Lewis et al., 2015; Grandjean et al., 2012; Braun et al., 2016; Barry et al., 2013) 5

6 EPA Lifetime Health Advisory Level of 70 ng/l PFOA + PFOS Hu et al., Environ. Sci. Technol. Lett

7 Drinking Water Health Guidelines DuPont PFOA: 5000 DuPont PFOA: 1000 U.S. EPA PFOA: 400 PFOS: 200 U.S. EPA PFOA & PFOS: 70 New Jersey PFOA: 14 ATSDR* PFOA: 11 PFOS: 7 *Estimated from Minimum Risk Levels 7

8 Water Treatment Costs: North Carolina Chemours Brunswick County: reverse osmosis filtration for 25,000 customers: - $99M to build - $2.9M to operate Cape Fear Public Utility Authority activated carbon filtration plant: - $46M to build - $2.7M to operate each year Wilmington Star News, May 9 th and 10 th,

9 Updates 9

10 FAA Reauthorization: Congress tells FAA to allow fluorine-free foams Includes measure that directing FAA to allow airports to use PFAS-free Class B firefighting foams (within 3 years) Senate passed 93-6, Oct. 3 President signed, Oct. 5 Response from FAA? 10

11 Senate HS&GA Subcommittee Field Hearing,11/13/18 Local, State and Federal Response to PFAS Contamination in MI Witnesses: Patrick Bryesse, ATSDR Robert Delaney, MDEQ Carol Isaacs, MPART Adam London, Kent County Richard Rediske, GVSU Sandy Wynn-Stelt Drew YoungDyke, NWF o/hearings/the-local-state-and-federal-responseto-the-pfas-crisis-in-michigan 11

12 Senate HS&GA Subcommittee Field Hearing,11/13/18 Local, State and Federal Response to PFAS Contamination in MI Witnesses: Patrick Bryesse, ATSDR Robert Delaney, MDEQ Carol Isaacs, MPART Adam London, Kent County Richard Rediske, GVSU Sandy Wynn-Stelt Drew YoungDyke, NWF Upcoming national multisite health study 12

13 Senate HS&GA Subcommittee Field Hearing,11/13/18 Local, State and Federal Response to PFAS Contamination in MI Witnesses: Patrick Bryesse, ATSDR Robert Delaney, MDEQ Carol Isaacs, MPART Adam London, Kent County Richard Rediske, GVSU Sandy Wynn-Stelt Drew YoungDyke, NWF National standards and increased federal coordination, e.g. btwn EPA & ATSDR, FAA & DoD 13

14 Senate HS&GA Subcommittee Field Hearing,11/13/18 Local, State and Federal Response to PFAS Contamination in MI Witnesses: Patrick Bryesse, ATSDR Robert Delaney, MDEQ Carol Isaacs, MPART Adam London, Kent County Richard Rediske, GVSU Sandy Wynn-Stelt Drew YoungDyke, NWF From the water we can t drink to the fish we can t keep and the game we can t eat, PFAS must be addressed thoroughly and quickly for Michigan families. 14

15 Senate HS&GA Subcommittee Field Hearing,11/13/18 Local, State and Federal Response to PFAS Contamination in MI Witnesses: Patrick Bryesse, ATSDR Robert Delaney, MDEQ Carol Isaacs, MPART Adam London, Kent County Richard Rediske, GVSU Sandy Wynn-Stelt Drew YoungDyke, NWF There needs to be overall testing and monitoring of our drinking water sources, both private wells and public water systems. We applaud MPART and the state of Michigan for starting this process, but this needs to occur nationally as well. 15

16 Senate HS&GA Subcommittee Field Hearing,11/13/18 Local, State and Federal Response to PFAS Contamination in MI Witnesses: Patrick Bryesse, ATSDR Robert Delaney, MDEQ Carol Isaacs, MPART Adam London, Kent County Richard Rediske, GVSU Sandy Wynn-Stelt Drew YoungDyke, NWF We need to know exactly what health impacts chemicals are causing in the nation. 16

17 EPA Releases Draft Toxicity Assessments of Short-chain PFAS GenX PFBS - Replacement for PFOA - Used to make non-stick coatings - Replacement for PFOS - Found in consumer products Overall, the available oral toxicity studies show that the liver is sensitive to GenX chemicals, and the kidney and thyroid are sensitive to PFBS. 17

18 EPA Releases Draft Toxicity Assessments of Short-chain PFAS GenX PFBS - Chronic reference dose (RfD): an estimate of the amount of a chemical a person can ingest daily over a lifetime that is unlikely to lead to adverse health effects. 18

19 Norway proposing regulation of PFBS "PFBS is amongst the most stable and persistent organic molecules possible. No studies have observed degradation of PFBS under environmental conditions." PFBS Not PBT, but PMT Norway proposing PFBS be declared a Substance of Very High Concern under REACH /dislist/details/0b0236e182bbccf8 20

20 New lobbying group Responsible Science Policy Coalition Casting doubt on science Donations to state attorneys general 21

21 EPA Local Government Advisory Committee PFAS Report 11/19/18 LGAC Provides recommendations to assist EPA in ensuring that its regulations, policies, guidance and technical assistance improve the capacity of local governments Highlights: Need for increased monitoring risk-based approach to identify drinking water supply systems and/or ground water private wells that should be monitored. publish a map of current monitoring and potential sources of PFAS contamination and make available on EPA s website. further testing under Unregulated Contaminant Monitoring Rule (UCMR) 22

22 EPA Local Government Advisory Committee PFAS Report 11/19/18 Highlights (continued): Need for guidance: There is an urgent need to get MCL for PFAS, testing guidance and costs, risk and health threats based on current science. 23

23 Problems with FDA approval process for PFAS in food contact materials Companies seeking FDA approval for food additives (including food contact substances) must provide all relevant chemistry, toxicology, and environmental data Review of FOIA records for one C6 PFAS: Failure to report all toxicity data (even studies that were otherwise publicly available) Failure to consider cumulative effects Failure to mention biopersistent breakdown products Need for increased transparency 24

24 PFAS are Problematic & Difficult to Clean Up Prevention is Preferable! 25

25 Summary of Recommendations 1. Reduce the use of PFAS-containing fire-fighting foams where possible 2. Further monitoring of PFAS in drinking water. 3. Declare PFOA, PFOS, and others hazardous substances 26

26 Recommendation 1 Reduce the use of PFAS-containing fire-fighting foams where possible. Users Airports Military Local fire departments Refineries, chemical plants Fuel storage facilities WA state bill Prohibits training with PFAS-containing foam Restricts manufacture and sale 27

27 Fluorine-Free Foams 28

28 Recommendation 2 Further monitoring of PFAS in drinking water Contaminated water systems identified by UCMR3: 2 Contaminated sites identified by MDEQ: 31 29

29 PFAS are numerous 4730 PFAS in commerce (OECD, 2018) 240 PFAS in fire-fighting foam and contaminated ground water 14 PFAS measured by EPA Method PFAS included in UCMR3 2 PFAS with federal Health Advisories 30

30 Recommendation 3 Declare PFOA, PFOS, and others hazardous substances. Clean Water Act Section 311? Superfund/CERCLA Section 102? Toxics Release Inventory? EPA: will be addressing in National PFAS Management Plan 31

31 With Reduced Use of Highly Fluorinated Chemicals We can have a healthier world