Environmental Industry Updates
The Latest News on Scientific and Regulatory Updates from Merit Laboratories
Nearly one in every eight community water systems in Illinois were found to have PFAS detections in drinking water. The Illinois Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recently announced the completion of an 18-month statewide sample collection study of PFAS in drinking water. The study collected drinking water from over 1,000 community water systems (CWS). According to the Illinois EPA, 126 of the 1,107 CWSs sampled had confirmed PFAS detections.
Advocates for the health of Wisconsinites are hopeful that the state’s Natural Resources Board (NRB) will vote on establishing PFAS regulatory limits for both surface water and drinking water at its next meeting. The NRB, which sets policy for the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR), has scheduled its next meeting for February 22-23 in Madison.
Nearly everyone in the United States has been exposed to PFAS and likely have PFAS in their blood, especially perfluorooctane sulfonic acid (PFOS) and perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), according to the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR). PFAS chemicals have been used in industry and consumer products worldwide since the 1950s. These forever chemicals are prevalent in non-stick cookware, water-repellent clothing, stain resistant fabrics and carpets, some cosmetics, some firefighting foams, and products that resist grease, water, and oil.
