Friend,

Toxic PFAS pollution is all around us, and exposure to these chemicals has been linked to cancer and other serious health problems.

Right now, the Environment Protection Agency (EPA) has an opportunity to speed the cleanup of some of these toxic "forever chemicals" -- and force the polluters, rather than taxpayers, to shoulder the costs -- by designating two types of PFAS as hazardous under the Superfund law.1

Urge the EPA to act on PFAS by submitting your public comment before the deadline on Nov. 7.

Scientists are finding PFAS pollution everywhere. These per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances are a class of more than 12,000 chemicals used to make consumer products water-, stain- and heat-resistant. They don't break down, either, earning them the nickname "forever chemicals."

Because these substances don't break down, they instead build up -- both in our environment and in our bodies -- and they've been linked to cancer, birth defects, liver disease, kidney disease, autoimmune disorders and more.2

To address this public health crisis, the EPA is currently considering designating two types of PFAS (PFOA and PFOS) as hazardous under the Superfund law. This, in turn, would allow the agency to require the cleanup of toxic PFAS contamination -- including at the 180 Superfund sites where it's been detected -- and force the polluters to pay for it.3,4

These toxic "forever chemicals" won't go away on their own -- don't let the EPA miss this opportunity to speed their cleanup today. Make your public comment.

Your voice can make a difference. In 2019, PIRG helped win a law directing the Department of Defense to phase out the use of firefighting foams that contained PFAS on military bases -- a major source of PFAS pollution.

Now, we have a chance to tackle some of the pollution that's already out there threatening our communities and our health.

Make your public comment to the EPA before the deadline on Nov. 7.

Thank you,

Faye Park
President

1. "Proposed Designation of Perfluorooctanoic Acid (PFOA) and Perfluorooctanesulfonic Acid (PFOS) as CERCLA Hazardous Substances," U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, last accessed October 10, 2022.
2. Tom Perkins, "Toxic 'forever chemicals' detected in commonly used insecticides in US, study finds," The Guardian, October 7, 2022.
3. Matthew Daly, "EPA to designate 'forever chemicals' as hazardous substances," ABC News, August 26, 2022.
4. "Superfund sites identified by EPA to have PFAS contamination," U.S. Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works, last accessed October 10, 2022.

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