Scientific Support for Regulation of PFAS and 1,4-Dioxane

Environmental regulations are designed to protect public health from hazardous chemicals produced by industry, but it is known in the scientific and regulatory community that all potential contaminants are not successfully limited under current environmental regulations. PFAS and 1,4-dioxane are widely researched but under- or unregulated. PFAS and 1,4-dioxane are all around us, including in our food and water and often persist in the environment. Exposure to both PFAS and 1,4-dioxane pose health risks - PFAS has been linked to cancer and diabetes, and 1,4-dioxane has been linked to cancer. Environmental treatment options are promising, but large-scale studies that test the treatments in the environment need to be conducted.

Current state and federal regulations for PFAS and 1,4-dioxane are limited, even as industries throughout the Southeastern U.S. continue to generate these chemicals for industrial applications. A number of Southeastern states have conducted emergent contaminant studies focused on PFAs and 1,4-dioxane, but proactive and highly adaptive regulations are still needed.