Rollback of EPA regulations on ‘forever chemicals’ could increase health risks, costs

LOGAN — Changes to EPA regulations that would implement the filtering of harmful so-called ‘forever chemicals’ in our drinking water could mean increased health risks, according to some scientists who study the harmful compounds.

“They cause toxicity to humans even in very, very, very low doses,” Dr. Ryan Dupont, a professor in Civil & Environmental Engineering at Utah State University, said. “Some of them are known carcinogens. Some of them cause all kinds of other liver diseases and lots of other health problems not associated with cancer, but other long-term health effects.”

Dr. Ryan Dupont, a professor in Civil & Environmental Engineering at Utah State University, is pictured talking to KSL TV’s Mike Anderson. (Mike Anderson, KSL TV)

Dupont is currently researching ways to get the chemicals out of our wastewater, that often end up seeping back into our drinking water systems. He said the processes can be timely and expensive. Some of the most harmful PolyFluoroAlkyl Substances are no longer used, but can remain around us for thousands of years, getting them the nickname “forever chemicals.”

A glass of water sitting next to a faucet. (Mike Anderson, KSL TV)

“We still see these compounds in our wastewater because they’re in all of our consumer goods,” Dupont explained. “And when those consumer goods are used in wash chemicals, (they’re) leached from those materials and they end up in our wastewater.”

“It seems like an odd way to focus on them by eliminating the standards,” Dupont said.

“Somebody’s going to have to pay for that,” Dupont said. “It’s not going to be the water utilities. It’ll now be the insurance companies. And eventually, you know, us as individuals being impacted by those chemicals.”