Trump admin. eases limits on toxic 'forever chemicals' in water
3 Min Read
The Trump administration has rolled back key limits on toxic PFAS chemicals in US drinking water by narrowing regulations to just two compounds and delaying enforcement.
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Logan Feeney pours a water sample with forever chemicals, known as PFAS, into a container for research on April 10, 2024, at a US Environmental Protection Agency lab in Cincinnati, USA (AP)
The Trump administration on Wednesday unveiled plans to ease restrictions on toxic “forever chemicals” in US drinking water, reversing a major public health milestone set under former President Joe Biden.
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) revealed it would maintain maximum contaminant levels for just two of the most infamous per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), PFOA and PFOS, while eliminating limits for other PFAS compounds, despite their known health risks.
158 million Americans have drinking water tainted with PFAS
Recent studies estimate that nearly 158 million Americans have drinking water tainted with PFAS, a class of industrial chemicals linked to cancer, infertility, immune dysfunction, and behavioral issues in children. Known for their near-indestructibility, PFAS are widely used in products like nonstick cookware, cosmetics, and waterproof clothing. They have been found across the globe, from the peaks of Tibet to the ocean floor, and in the blood of nearly every living organism.
The original PFAS regulations, introduced by the Biden administration in April 2024, were widely praised as a long-overdue response to decades of corporate misconduct and regulatory inaction. But under changes introduced by EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin, those safeguards have been significantly narrowed.
Revised rule will now apply only to PFOA, PFOS
The revised rule will now apply only to PFOA and PFOS, legacy compounds once used in products like Teflon and Scotchgard, while exempting newer-generation substitutes that were developed by manufacturers in response to growing public scrutiny.
The EPA will also delay the compliance deadline for meeting these standards from 2029 to 2031.
"We are on a path to uphold the agency's nationwide standards to protect Americans from PFOA and PFOS in their water," Zeldin revealed. "At the same time, we will work to provide common-sense flexibility in the form of additional time for compliance."
Weakened protections and industry favoritism
Critics argue that the decision weakens public health protections and prioritizes industry interests. Melanie Benesh of the nonprofit Environmental Working Group called the move a “huge step backwards,” describing it as "a betrayal of the promise this administration made to provide clean drinking water and clean air, and to make America healthy again."
Benesh pointed out that several of the excluded chemicals, including GenX, have been found by the EPA’s own scientists to cause harm to the liver, kidneys, immune system, fetal development, and potentially cause cancer.
Water utilities will eventually be required to install filtration systems using granular activated carbon to remove PFAS, but newer chemicals with shorter molecular chains are harder to filter, increasing maintenance and operational costs.
“This is a gift to the water utilities and to polluters,” Beneseh continued.
She added that the rollback is likely to face legal challenges under the Safe Drinking Water Act, which requires that any revision to existing water quality standards must offer equal or greater health protection.
