On May 21, 2024, Joo Cha Webb and Derek Smith published “EPA Announces First Federal PFAS Drinking Water Standards” in Mealey’s Emerging Toxic Torts. The following is an excerpt:
PFAS are a diverse group of thousands of man-made substances that were first developed in the 1940s. Their various unique properties, particularly the ability to resist heat and to repel oil, grease and water, have resulted in their widespread use in a vast array of products from non-stick cookware, paints, sealants, personal care products, food packaging, clothing and textiles, to fire-fighting foams and other industrial products.
More importantly, the strong molecular bond that makes them resistant to degradation, and thus desirable in a range of applications, has also led to their long-term persistence and accumulation in the environment.