By Erin Smith
The Environmental Protection Agency has issued proposed toxicity assessments for GenX and for PFBS chemicals. A public comment period is now underway and will end on January 22, 2019.
The draft proposes a chronic reference dose for GenX chemicals of 80 nanograms per kilogram of body weight per day. The draft proposal offers a chronic reference dose for PFBS as 10,000 nanograms per kilogram of body weight daily. A reference does is defined as a maximum dose for human exposure which is unlikely to cause any ill health effects.
The draft proposal says the EPA utilized laboratory animal studies which demonstrated adverse affects to the liver, kidneys, immune system, blood and even unborn fetuses.
The consensus among those who have left comments on the draft proposal have all requested EPA set the standard to zero and for the EPA to require Chemours as a company to pay for the environmental clean up.
Some of the comments received urged the EPA to set very low standards. One anonymous commentary writes, “Please set the health advisory level for GenX, PFAS, PFOA, and PFOS at zero. I live in New Hanover County in Wilmington, NC, and have recently found out that we have been poisoned for the past 22 years here. My husband and I are part of a health research study, and the levels in our blood of “emerging contaminants” and newly identified contaminants, are disturbingly high. Please help.”
Another anonymous writer stated, “live in Wilmington, NC. I have never lived and worked in a community with so many clients who have thyroid disorders, cancers, and bizarre health related concerns. I urge you to set the GenX and PFBS to 0 ppt to protect contaminated communities.”
Another anonymous commentator wrote, “As a citizen of North Carolina concerned about our state’s drinking water, especially the effects of GenX on babies and children (whose small body weight means more concentrated exposure to GenX), I am writing to urge the EPA to raise its standard of acceptable exposure to GenX. The Chemours company is responsible for exposing the population to this toxin should be financially responsible for the cost of cleaning it up and providing safe drinking water to North Carolinians.”
Comments can be submitted online at https://www.regulations.gov/docket?D=EPA-HQ-OW-2018-0614 and click on the comment button and follow the instructions.
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