WASHINGTON (January 22, 2020) – The American Chemistry Council (ACC) issued the following statement in response to reports that U.S. drinking water is contaminated with ‘forever chemicals’.
“We understand and appreciate the concerns that people have about the water they drink. We believe all people deserve access to clean and safe drinking water. However, a publication released by the Environmental Working Group (EWG) could undermine America’s trust in efforts made by state and federal agencies to keep our drinking water safe.
“Without seeing the details of how samples were collected by EWG, ACC cannot verify the scientific soundness of their report. At a minimum, EWG summing 30 PFAS chemistries -- insinuating that each of these chemistries has similar profiles -- is scientifically unjustified. Treating all PFAS chemistries as the same is not scientifically accurate nor appropriate to guide effective regulation.
“Further, state government agencies have and continue to conduct independent assessments of public water sources. For example, the state of Michigan recently reported that 90 percent of the more than 1,700 samples it collected from public water supplies in 2018-2019 did not contain detectable levels of 14 individual PFAS, using EPA’s validated Method 537. High quality, meaningful data is essential to informing good public policy.
“ACC will continue to engage with lawmakers and regulators on this important issue and support strong chemical regulations that are protective of the safety of human health and the environment.”