WASHINGTON (March 1, 2019) - The American Chemistry Council (ACC) issued the following statement upon the introduction of S.638, sponsored by Senators Tom Carper (D-Del.) and Shelly Moore Capito (R-W.Va.), which seeks to designate all per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) as hazardous substances under the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act of 1980 (CERCLA):
“All Americans deserve access to clean and safe drinking water. Our industry supports the strong regulation of chemicals, including an independent and transparent EPA process based on the best available science to determine the appropriate regulatory approach for PFOS and PFOA. This is a fitting role for the EPA, which was created nearly 50 years ago as a strong and independent agency charged with establishing and enforcing environmental protection standards.
“PFAS is a diverse family of chemistries that have differing characteristics, formulations and intended uses. Because of these differences, it is inappropriate to pass one-size-fits-all regulations of PFAS as a class, which is what the Carper-Capito bill would do. In addition, any policy and regulatory decisions should be guided by the wealth of independent research conducted across the globe—much of which is peer-reviewed in scientific journals—by universities, government agencies, independent laboratories and industry scientists.
“We continue to support strong leadership by EPA in addressing PFAS as the agency is best-positioned to continue leading the comprehensive national effort. ACC remains committed to continue working with EPA, Congress and other stakeholders on opportunities to help implement the action plan expeditiously.”