What is the status of the Agencys efforts regarding reducing exposure to PFOS?
In the late 1990’s, EPA received information indicating that PFOS was widespread in the blood of the general population, and presented concerns for persistence, bioaccumulation, and toxicity. Following discussions between EPA and 3M, the manufacturer of PFOS, the company terminated production of these chemicals. Findings on PFOS led EPA to review similar chemicals, including PFOA, to determine whether they might present concerns similar to those associated with PFOS. Following the voluntary phase out of PFOS by the principal worldwide manufacturer, EPA took prompt regulatory action under TSCA to limit any future manufacture or importation of 88 PFAS (perfluoroalkyl sulfonate) chemicals specifically included in that phase out. EPA uses the generic term PFAS to encompass more generally the category of perfluorinated compounds, which includes those with eight carbons (C8) as well as those with higher and lower amounts of carbon. These significant new use rules (SNURs) allowed the continua
