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ALBANY, NY (WENY) – Wednesday, the New York Department of Health issued proposed regulations for 23 PFAS chemicals in drinking water.
PFAS substances are chemicals that have widely been used in fabric waterproofing, non-stick cookware, and other applications.
The proposed regulations would essentially set new drinking water standards and require public water systems to reduce levels of toxic chemicals. But some environmental advocates don’t think these regulations are enough.
“Their proposal falls far short of what’s actually needed to protect public health,” said Rob Hayes, Director of Clean Water for Environmental Advocates NY.
Hayes added that instead of limiting the amount of PFAS chemicals in drinking water, they need to be eliminated altogether. He said there is a long list of health risks that come with exposure to PFAS chemicals including thyroid disease, preeclampsia, and testicular and kidney cancer.
“The more that we learn about these PFAS, the more dangerous that we realize they are. That is why it is so essential to get these chemicals completely out of our drinking water, to set drinking water limits as close to zero as possible,” he said.
For more information on the health impacts from PFAS chemicals, visit the Agency for Toxic Substance and Disease Registry’s guidance web page.
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