On June 15, 2022, the EPA released health advisories for four
PFAS compounds – PFOA, PFOS, GenX and PFBS. The new health
advisories are significant for three reasons. First, new health
advisories signal increasing scientific consensus on the negative
health consequences associations with PFAS exposure. Second, the
EPA has expanded its health advisories to include additional PFAS
compounds beyond PFOA and PFOS – the most common PFAS
compounds. Third, the new health advisories are another milestone
marking expanding and accelerating regulatory efforts from the
federal government to curb PFAS pollution.
What Are PFAS?
Per-and-Poly Fluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) are a broad class of
manmade, highly stable chemicals which exhibit both grease and
water repelling properties. Because of their chemical
structure—containing long carbon alkyl chains with highly
electronegative functional groups—PFAS displayed both
hydrophobic and lipophobic characteristics. By being
