EPA Proposes to Expand Public Access to Information on More Than One Hundred PFAS "Forever Chemicals" and Support Needed Pollution Prevention Efforts
EPA is proposing to add 16 individual per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) and 15 PFAS categories representing more than 100 individual PFAS to the Toxics Release Inventory (TRI). It would also designate them as chemicals of special concern so they must meet more robust reporting requirements, including reporting even for small concentrations. This proposed expansion of TRI would advance the commitments of the Administration and EPA's PFAS Strategic Roadmap to address the health and environmental impacts of PFAS by promoting pollution prevention, and informing the public about environmental releases of these so called "forever chemicals." This proposal also advances the Administration's commitment to environmental justice as well as the Administration's commitment to ending cancer as we know it as part of the Biden Cancer Moonshot by helping to connect the public and regulatory agencies with data to help inform decision-making with regard to chemicals with toxicity, including cancer, concerns because people can use TRI data to identify sources of pollution in their communities and ways that facilities can eliminate or reduce such pollution.