From drinking to cooking and recreation to sanitation, water is crucial to our lives. But that doesn’t mean it’s always been protected. You may have heard of PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances) or caught our earlier blog on them, but if not, they’re chemicals often found in Teflon, water resistant clothing, food packaging and firefighting foam.
PFAS are dubbed “forever chemicals” because they’re very difficult to break down, and, what’s more, are carcinogenic, interfere with our hormone systems, and have made their way into Wisconsin’s waterways and drinking water. Throughout Wisconsin, there are 30 PFAS contamination sites under investigation and four public drinking water suppliers with high levels of PFAS chemicals detected.
So far, PFAS have been largely unaddressed, but in Executive Order #40, Governor Evers requested the development of a PFAS Action Plan, which will direct state agencies in how to address public health and environmental concerns about PFAS contamination in Wisconsin. That Action Plan is in the works right now!
The Department of Natural Resources (DNR) has released their draft plan, and has opened up a period for public comment. This is an opportunity to try and ensure that the final plan has strong, high standards. The draft is lengthy, so we put together some high-level talking points that you may find helpful in writing your comment. Comments are due by 11:59pm on Saturday, October 31 and can be submitted online here.
Talking points
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Increase testing methods for all PFAS chemicals
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Increase testing of potential environmental reservoirs of PFAS
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Regulate the PFAS chemical family, not individual chemical by chemical
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Identify all sources of exposure for regulation
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Ensure the resulting policy will protect sensitive populations
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Prevention is a better solution than cleanup, including banning production and use
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Disposal must not create more potentials for pollution
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Make polluters (manufacturers and industrial users of PFAS) pay for the cleanup
Have a follow up question? Email us!