Per and Polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) is 'family' of some 12,000 chemicals, widely-used commercially to make diverse products water-; stain- and/or grease-resistent. These ubiquitous 'forever chemicals' (they breakdown extremely slowly in the environment), are used in activities as diverse as making packaging for 'fast foods', carpet production, devising non-stick cooking equipment etc. In humans, PFAS have been scientifically linked to birth detects, impaired immune responses, elevated blood cholesterol levels, kidney disease etc. The US's Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is responsible for protecting the public from
all toxic substances. The EPA's Office of Pollution Prevention and Toxics has, however, now devised a narrower 'working definition' of PFAS (https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2022/apr/05/epa-pfas-definition-scientists-forever-chemicals
). The Office of Pollution Prevention and Toxics definition wants to exclude PFAS chemicals used in pharmaceutical and pesticide production industries. Their 'new' definition is actually narrower even than that used by other sections of the EPA. This appears to be another case analogous to 're-arranging the deck chairs on the Titanic'. Where is the public protection in such an exercise?
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