Birth defects, cancer, thyroid disruption – should the (Environmental Protection Agency) EPA regulate contaminants that cause these problems?

Birth defects, cancer, thyroid disruption – should the (Environmental Protection Agency) EPA regulate contaminants that cause these problems? The U.S. House of Representatives on July 21, gave a resounding YES to this question by approving the PFAS Action Act of 2021. The legislation was introduced by U.S. Reps Debbie Dingell and Fred Upton of Michigan. This bill would require the EPA to designate per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances as hazardous substances. If this bill were to pass the Senate, the EPA would have five years to determine whether all PFAS should be designated as hazardous and would require the EPA to submit a review of their clean-up efforts. The EPA would also need to add PFOA and PFOS to the Clean Air Act’s hazardous pollutants list and develop effluent limits within 180 days of enactment. The bill would put a limit on industrial discharges and would allow $200 million to be allocated annually from 2022 to 2026 for the treatment of wastewater.