In response to widespread contamination, the EPA and FDA have released testing methods that identify 29 PFAS compounds in water and 16 PFAS compounds in food. The EPA also released a 2020 update of its PFAS Action Plan that details the guidelines for testing PFAS in drinking water, recommendations for cleaning up contaminated groundwater, and the allocation of around 14.9 million dollars towards researching PFAS in agriculture, waste, and the environment.
Babcock Labs is DoD AND California Accredited: PFAS Determinations in Non-Potable Water & Solids
On December 2, 2019, Babcock Laboratories, Inc. joined an elite group of laboratories in California accredited to analyze all PFAs by Department of Defense Quality Systems Manual (DoD QSM - version 5.1 or newer). On January 9th the CA Environmental Laboratory Accreditation Program (CA ELAP) added PFAS to Babcock Labs’ accreditation for analysis of Semi-volatile Organic Constituents in non-potable water—Field of Testing (FOT) 111. Babcock became one of a handful of laboratories in the State with the proper CA ELAP accreditation for PFAS required for all State regulatory work.
PFAS in CA: Phase I Results
This month the State Water Resources Control Board posted the first results of testing for perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and perfluorooctanesulfonic acid (PFOS) for nearly 600 drinking water supply wells. This testing was performed as part of a comprehensive effort to assess the presence of harmful per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS)—coined “forever chemicals—in water systems and groundwater statewide.
Regulatory Update: New Guidelines for PFOA & PFOS
The State Water Resources Control Board has established new drinking water guidelines for local water agencies in regard to two Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) substances: perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and perfluorooctanesulfonic acid (PFOS).
PFAS Report Released: New CDC Data Intensifies Drinking Water Concerns
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recently released an 852-page review of the health risks of perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). The study suggests that current health advisories for PFAS, established by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), may not be strict enough to address serious public health risks.