Washington, DC — On Friday, a bipartisan group of senators introduced legislation (S.638) to classify fluorinated chemicals (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, known as “PFAS”) as hazardous substances under the Superfund law (Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act or CERCLA). This would prompt requirements to report environmental releases of the chemicals and clean up contaminated sites, and it would allow the government to sue polluters to recover cleanup costs.
The PFAS Action Act was introduced by Sens. Tom Carper (D-Del.), Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.), Gary Peters (R-Mich.), Thom Tillis (R-N.C.), Debbie Stabenow (D-Mich.), Marco Rubio (R-Fla.), Cory Gardner (R-Colo.), Jack Reed (D-R.I.), Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska), Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.), Richard Burr (R-N.C.), Michael Bennet (D-Colo.) and Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.).
In response, Safer Chemicals Healthy Families Director Liz Hitchcock issued the following statement:
“Communities across the U.S. are suffering because of PFAS chemical contamination. We applaud the bipartisan group of senators led by Senators Carper and Capito who introduced this critical legislation. We look forward to working with them as they take this important first step toward addressing this public health crisis. The strong co-sponsorship of the bills shows recognition that PFAS pollution is a non-partisan problem that needs a bipartisan solution.”