Rep. Pugh introduces bill to study 'forever chemical' effects
Pugh, R-Dallas Township, introduced legislation that would direct the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) to conduct a study to better understand the potential risks that certain land-applied biosolid chemicals pose to the environment, food and water supply, and potential mitigation measures to reduce these chemical levels.
Pugh said the chemicals are known as PFAS — per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances — and are a large group of nearly 15,000 synthetic chemicals that have seen wide use in consumer products since the 1940s.
Pugh said PFAS are generally highly durable and water-resistant, and as a result are referred to as "forever chemicals" that can persist in the environment, water, air, soil and even the human body for long periods of time.
"Because of the many kinds of PFAS, and their wide range of uses, they are difficult to study," Pugh said. "However, many studies have found that exposure to certain types of PFAS can have serious impacts on human health, including decreased fertility, developmental delays in children, increased risk of certain cancers, hormone disruption, inhibited immune system responses and more.
Pugh added that while federal and state agencies have taken effective steps that already have or are estimated to reduce the levels of PFAS exposure of Americans, there are still many sources of exposure that are not well understood.
"Ingesting contaminated food and water is one of the most common avenues of human exposure, which makes it critical that we fully understand how these chemicals enter our food and water supplies," Pugh said.
House Bill 1116 has been referred to the Environmental and Natural Resources Protection Committee. Pugh said all residents are encouraged to contact their legislators and encourage their support of this bill.
Reach Bill O'Boyle at 570-991-6118 or on Twitter @TLBillOBoyle.
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