Report: EPA Knowingly Greenlit Use Of PFAS Chemicals In Fracking Operations
Internal U.S. EPA documents released by a physician-led public protection group show that the agency knowingly allowed for the use of chemicals that could degrade into per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) by hydraulic fracturing operations.
“For at least a decade, the Environmental Protection Agency has allowed oil companies to use certain chemicals for fracking, even though the agency knew they could degrade into PFAS,”
Gizmodo reported. “The approval came despite the fact that the EPA itself had raised concerns about the substances’ effects on human health.”
The revelation indicates that the EPA, the foremost federal agency charged with protecting the environment, paved the way for industrial operations to inject substances tied to one of the most pervasive water contaminants directly into the ground.