ALBANY, N.Y. -- Advocates for the environment are applauding the Biden administration's new Executive Order prioritizing climate initiatives including federal purchasing of products without the toxic chemicals known as Perfluorinated and Polyfluorinated Substances (PFAS).

Proponents of clean-water initiatives also are seeking additional action on the dangerous chemical in the state of New York and around the country.

Today, a Senate committee hearing will examine the Department of Defense Inspector General's report on the federal response to PFAS detected in drinking water of military bases.

Scott Faber, senior vice president for government affairs at the Environmental Working Group, hopes the hearing will answer questions for the communities affected.

"How many service members were drinking contaminated tap water?" Faber outlined. "How contaminated? For how long? Have we alerted those service members about potential effects of PFAS? If not, why not? When will we?"

The working group said in New York, the Plattsburgh Air Force Base and Niagara Falls Air Base were found to have some of the highest rates of the contaminants in their drinking water. PFAS cannot break down in the environment, and exposure to them has shown to cause negative health effects.

In New York state, 64% of residents who responded to an April 2021 Siena College poll reported being "very concerned" about water pollution.

Colin O'Neil, legislative director for the Environmental Working Group, said it is also time for Congress to pass the PFAS Action Act, which has passed in the House.

"This would set important deadlines for EPA to develop standards for PFAS under our various environmental statutes," O'Neil explained. "Including our federal cleanup law which would further push DOD to clean up PFAS at military installations and other federal facilities."

In October, the Environmental Protection Agency announced a roadmap to address PFAS pollution, such as monitoring, research and reporting requirements. In addition, a state-level bill, which would mandate monitoring the state's drinking water for "emerging contaminants," including PFAS, now awaits New York Gov. Kathy Hochul's signature.

As more research emerges about the chemicals known as per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, government agencies are faced with the task of figuring out how to keep the public safe.

A new Minnesota study said removing the so-called "forever chemicals" from wastewater will be very expensive. The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency estimates it would cost $14 billion to $28 billion to remove PFAS from the water and biosolids leaving regional wastewater treatment facilities, over a 20-year period to implement the technology, along with operating expenses.

Scott Kyser, wastewater effluent engineer for the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency, led the research project and said trying to add the equipment would be a big adjustment.

"Those treatment systems are new, they're complicated, and they just take a lot of money to operate," Kyser pointed out.

The study added new types of PFAS are more difficult and up to 70% more expensive to remove and destroy, compared to older substances. Forever chemicals are found in a range of products and create serious health risks for consumers. They also can contaminate surface water, groundwater, drinking water, fish and other wildlife.

Sophie Greene, PFAS coordinator for the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency, said given the magnitude of the cost, they hope the findings compel policymakers and manufacturers to focus on preventing the chemicals from reaching wastewater facilities in the first place.

"I think this is telling us source reduction is the most important thing right now," Greene asserted. "Installing these expensive and complicated treatment systems at all of our wastewater treatment plants is just probably not feasible."

She acknowledged it is still a major challenge in swapping out PFAS for less-harmful materials, since their use in manufacturing has been so widespread.

There has been pushback from some business groups when proposed regulations surface. Still, Greene noted there is hope in Minnesota, with the Legislature this year adopting bans on the chemicals for nonessential items.


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It's the time of year when people start thinking about spring cleaning and lawn care - which also means more exposure to health risks from products they may not think of as poisons.

Nearly every Indiana household is full of items that can be lethal - from bug spray to hairspray, and furniture polish to lawn fertilizer.

Stored improperly, some products can cause injury or even death if anyone ingests, smells, or spills them on skin or clothing.

Dr. Blake Froberg - medical director at the Indiana Poison Center - said liquids like antifreeze and window-washer fluid may look like sports drinks to young kids, and can have some very harmful effects.

"Certain lamp oils," said Froberg, "with the summer coming up, a lot of people will have tiki torches. And that lamp oil that's used in tiki torches - to a young child, that can look like apple juice - can have very harmful effects to somebody's lungs if they get into that."

Symptoms of poisoning include nausea, vomiting, diarrhea and rashes.

The Indiana Department of Health suggests storing household chemicals with proper labeling and tight lids, and periodically checking those containers. Froberg added that they should be in locked cabinets inaccessible to kids.

America's Poison Centers data show in Indiana, a poisoning case is reported about every 11 minutes.

Medications can also be dangerous, with nearly 68,000 cases of kids ingesting basic analgesics or painkillers in one recent year, nationally.

Froberg said it isn't just prescription drugs to be concerned about.

"Acetaminophen, which is often sold as Tylenol," said Froberg, "aspirin, diphenhydramine, often sold as Benadryl. So, you want to pay attention to not only your prescription medications, but also the over-the-counter medications."

Froberg pointed out that child-resistant caps on medications may slow them down, but given enough time, a child can figure out how to remove them.

America's Poison Centers data show 44% of Indiana children age 5 or younger have been involved in a poison-related incident - and 95% of those occur at home.




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National Poison Prevention Week is coming up, and the staff at the Illinois Poison Center is getting the word out to be aware of toxic substances around the house.

The nonprofit organization provides both assistance and education on what to do if you suspect poisoning, and courses on identifying poisonous substances.

Last year, the center handled nearly 70,000 involving potentially harmful substances, ranging from minor to severe.

Dr. Michael Wahl, medical director for the center, said almost 40% of those cases involved children age five or younger.

"This is kind of the hallmark week for us to get the word out of the importance of poison prevention planning in the house, in the home, to prevent those unintentional ingestions or exposures to potentially harmful products," Wahl explained.

Wahl pointed out the Illinois center was one of the first of its kind in the nation and has been a resource for almost 70 years. It is staffed 24 hours, seven days a week, every day of the year, and can be reached at 800-222-1222.

Wahl noted the center deals with many substances, including drug overdoses, medication errors or reactions, plants, household chemicals, automotive products, insect stings and bites, lead, carbon monoxide and more.

He added the most dangerous time for children can be a visit from a grandparent.

"We recommend keeping the medications in their original containers and childproof caps," Wahl emphasized. "But grandparents will often keep their medications in pill minders. Those are not in child-resistant caps, and it is not uncommon that kids will get into them."

The center provides helpful information and guides, including stickers and refrigerator magnets with its toll-free number, at no charge. But Wahl stressed for those who need immediate help, there are experts standing by.

"Our line is staffed by nurses and pharmacists, so it is medical professionals -- they're not volunteers -- and they are specially trained in medical toxicology, to really answer and help with recommendations on a wide variety of potentially harmful exposures," Wahl emphasized.


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