The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) has recently taken a significant step forward in public health protection by designating two common per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS)—perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and perfluorooctanesulfonic acid (PFOS)—as hazardous substances under the Superfund law, known officially as the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA).
What This Means for the Environment and You
This designation, effective April 17, 2024, is a game-changer for environmental management and compliance. PFOA and PFOS are the two most widely used and studied PFAS chemicals used in various industrial applications and consumer products. Recognized for their persistence in the environment and potential health risks, these chemicals are often referred to as “forever chemicals.”
Under the new CERCLA rule, any release of PFOA or PFOS (including their salts and structural isomers) that exceeds one pound within a 24-hour period must now be reported to the National Response Center, alongside state and local emergency response teams. This measure aims to improve transparency and ensure that responsible parties are held accountable for any contamination, enhancing the overall safety and health of the public and ecosystems.
EnviroScience’s Role
As environmental stewards, our role at EnviroScience is more crucial than ever. We are here to help you understand these new regulations and implement the necessary changes to ensure compliance. Our team is equipped to provide strategic advice and practical solutions to manage your environmental responsibilities effectively.
Looking Forward
This regulatory update is part of the USEPA’s broader strategy to tackle PFAS contamination, which includes recent actions like setting drinking water standards for six PFAS compounds. Such measures not only aim to reduce exposure to these harmful chemicals but also ensure cleaner, safer water for all.
EnviroScience is committed to keeping you informed about the latest developments in environmental regulation that could impact your operations and sustainability goals. Stay tuned to our blog for more updates on how these changes might affect your business and how EnviroScience can assist you in navigating this evolving regulatory landscape. For further details on the USEPA’s final rule, visit their official news release and detailed rule page.
Few environmental firms in the country retain EnviroScience’s degree of scientific know-how, talent, and capability under one roof. The diverse backgrounds of our biologists, environmental engineers, scientists, and divers enable us to provide comprehensive in-house services and an integrated approach to solving environmental challenges—saving clients time, reducing costs, and ensuring high-quality results.
Our client guarantee is to provide “Excellence in Any Environment,” meaning no matter what we do, we will deliver on our Core Values of respect, client advocacy, quality work, accountability, teamwork, and safety. EnviroScience was created with the concept that we could solve complex problems by empowering great people. This concept still holds true today as our scientists explore the latest environmental legislation and regulations and incorporate the most up-to-date technology to gather and report data.
EnviroScience expertise includes but is not limited to aquatic surveys (including macroinvertebrate surveys and biological assessments); ecological restoration; ecological services (including impact assessments, invasive species control, and water quality monitoring); emergency response; engineering and compliance services; endangered mussel surveys; laboratory and analysis; stormwater management; threatened and endangered species; and wetlands and streams (including delineation and mitigation). Further, EnviroScience is one of the few biological firms in the country that is a general member of the Association of Diving Contractors International (ADCI) and offers full-service commercial diving services.
