Environmental Health & Safety

EPA Targets PFAS Contamination with Comprehensive Data Collection Effort

Dec. 17, 2024

New 30-day public comment period seeks insights on industrial wastewater discharges from key sectors to develop science-based strategies for limiting harmful chemical pollution.

Jonathan Katz

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) opened a 30-day public-comment period Dec. 16 for its plan to study and develop technology-based PFAS limits on industrial wastewater discharges.

The plan includes the collection of additional data and information from facilities in battery manufacturing, centralized waste treatment, and oil and gas extraction, as well as from PFAS processors — industrial facilities engaged in processing PFAS into commercial products.

The goal of these studies is to enable the agency to make informed, data-driven decisions on the need for new rulemakings to establish revised effluent limitations guidelines, the EPA said.

Any future rulemakings developed as a result of these studies would be based on the best available science and designed to stop PFAS contamination at the source, safeguarding community and environmental health, according to the agency.

The EPA is asking those who wish to submit a comment to visit its Preliminary Effluent Guidelines Program Plan webpage.

About the Author

Jonathan Katz | Executive Editor

Jonathan Katz, executive editor, brings nearly two decades of experience as a B2B journalist to Chemical Processing magazine. He has expertise on a wide range of industrial topics. Jon previously served as the managing editor for IndustryWeek magazine and, most recently, as a freelance writer specializing in content marketing for the manufacturing sector.

His knowledge areas include industrial safety, environmental compliance/sustainability, lean manufacturing/continuous improvement, Industry 4.0/automation and many other topics of interest to the Chemical Processing audience.

When he’s not working, Jon enjoys fishing, hiking and music, including a small but growing vinyl collection.

Jon resides in the Cleveland, Ohio, area.