EPA to roll back limits on ‘forever chemicals’ in drinking water

WorldEnvironment
19 May 2026 • 7:50 PM MYT
The Independent
The Independent

The world’s most free-thinking newspaper

EPA to roll back limits on ‘forever chemicals’ in drinking water

  • The Trump administration is proposing to roll back Biden-era limits on "forever chemicals" (PFAS) in drinking water, a move that imperils a landmark 2024 environmental finding.
  • The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced plans to repeal limits on four types of PFAS compounds and delay regulations on two others, despite previous conclusions linking them to cancer and developmental issues.
  • EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin justified the actions by claiming the Biden administration rushed the regulatory process, suggesting the new review could ultimately lead to stronger environmental regulations.
  • The proposal has angered some supporters within the president's "Make America Healthy Again" coalition and environmentalists, who warn against deregulating chemicals known to be harmful to human health.
  • The Biden-era limits represented the first new federal contaminant standard for drinking water since 1996 and the first national legally enforceable PFAS water standard.

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