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| Next week, the U.S. House of Representatives is scheduled to vote on the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) of 2021, and the Senate will likely do so as well in the coming weeks. This annual must-pass legislation authorizes military and defense-related spending and programs. Several important provisions addressing PFAS contamination and the Sustainable Chemistry Research and Development Act (S.999 and H.R. 2501) are being considered as riders to the NDAA this year. PFAS is a class of chemicals linked to health problems including cancer and autoimmune disease while the chemicals are used in a wide range of consumer goods and often dumped into the environment by polluting industries. PFAS contamination in water is especially a problem for communities living near military bases, where the chemical is used in firefighting foam. Last year’s NDAA phased out the use of PFAS on military bases, and both the House and Senate could follow up with further action in this year’s NDAA. In the House, Representative Dingell has proposed an amendment (amendment 568) to the House version of the NDAA 2021 to add provisions that: - require the EPA to designate certain types of PFAS as hazardous substances under the Superfund Program and target contaminated areas for clean-up;
- set drinking water limits on PFAS;
- limit industrial PFAS emissions and pollution into the air, water, and soil;
- establish an EPA-reviewed labelling process that businesses can use to show their products are free of PFAS.
This amendment 568 would go further than the important, but limited, steps currently included in the NDAA bills that are mostly focused on military bases and funding studies. ASBC is calling on Congress to include amendment 568 in the final NDAA 2021 to address the PFAS public health crisis and to provide a level playing field for responsible businesses that are already removing PFAS from their supply chains and production processes. H.R. 2501 directs the Office of Science and Technology Policy to convene an interagency entity to coordinate federal programs and activities in support of sustainable chemistry—an important first step for transition towards an economy that uses more sustainable and clean chemicals. | |
