WASHINGTON – U.S. Sen. Maggie Hassan joined a bipartisan group of 11 senators in calling on the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to set standards for per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) found in bottled water to ensure that bottled water products are safe for drinking. PFAS are pervasive and persistent chemicals that accumulate in people’s bodies over time, and exposure to these chemicals has been linked to cancer, liver damage, decreased fertility, and other serious health conditions.

“Despite the clear and present danger PFAS exposure presents, there are no enforceable limits on these substances in drinking water in the United States,” wrote the Senators in a letter to FDA Acting Commissioner Janet Woodcock. “Given the widespread persistence of PFAS in our environment and drinking water, many people have turned to bottled water to avoid adding toxic chemicals to their bodies. Establishing [Standards of Quality] for bottled water is an important step that will help ensure consumer confidence and protect public health.”

PFAS were first developed in the 1940s and are used in many products across all industries due to their grease-, water-, and oil-repellent properties, including food packaging, nonstick pans, carpeting, and many more. Their properties also make them persistent in the environment, leading to PFAS becoming ubiquitous in contaminating water sources throughout the United States. When tap water is compromised, many consumers turn to bottled water. The FDA regulates bottled water, but has not set a limit for PFAS in bottled water. Without nationwide FDA regulations for PFAS in bottled water or Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) regulations for tap water, some states have implemented their own PFAS rules for drinking water, but no such state rules exist for bottled water.

The letter was also signed by U.S. Senators Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Susan Collins (R-ME), Edward J. Markey (D-MA), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Angus King (I-ME), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Dianne Feinstein (D-CA), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Ben Ray Lujan (D-NM), and Ron Wyden (D-OR).

Hassan has long fought to address the public health threat of PFAS chemicals. In April, Senator Hassan joined her colleagues in passing the bipartisan Drinking Water and Wastewater Infrastructure Act, which included Senator Hassan’s provision that helps communities combat water contamination, including from PFAS. The December COVID-19 relief and government funding bill that Senator Hassan helped negotiate and pass into law included nearly $300 million in funding to address PFAS, including $15 million for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s nationwide PFAS study. Furthermore, Senator Hassan previously cosponsored legislation, introduced by Senator Jeanne Shaheen, that would create a national database for service members and veterans experiencing health problems potentially due to PFAS exposure. In 2018, Senator Hassan participated in the first-ever Senate hearing on contamination of PFAS in drinking water.

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