EPA Recommends Monitoring of Local Freshwater Fish for ‘Forever Chemicals’

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is recommending for the first time that states, tribes, and territories nationwide monitor for the toxic so-called “forever chemicals” in locally caught freshwater fish. The agency’s recommendation adds several per- and polyfluorinated substances (PFAS) to the contaminant list outlined in the Clean Water Act, alongside lead, three cyanotoxins, a flame retardant, and amphetamine, according to a July 11 press release. PFAS are man-made chemicals dubbed “forever chemicals” because they break down slowly over time in the environment and the bodies of humans and animals. The chemicals have been linked to serious health issues including cancers, liver damage, low birth weight, birth defects, and more....