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Environmental Protection Agency chief Andrew Wheeler says the agency is working "aggressively" to develop regulations around a concerning group of chemicals, known as "forever chemicals," because they don't break down naturally in the environment.
Environmental Protection Agency chief Andrew Wheeler says the agency is working "aggressively" to develop regulations around a concerning group of chemicals, known as "forever chemicals," because they don't break down naturally in the environment.
Wheeler said the EPA is taking major steps toward its action plan to address the so-called “forever chemicals” announced earlier this year through a proposal released Monday and more moves in the coming weeks.
The group of chemicals, technically known as PFAS, are used in a variety of products ranging from nonstick and waterproofing products to military-grade firefighting foam.
Some types of the chemicals have been linked to health problems such as kidney disease or some kinds of cancer.
Activists in some communities impacted by "forever chemicals" have criticized the EPA and the government for moving too slowly to address the issue, but Wheeler said the EPA is moving aggressively to ensure that drinking water is safe from contamination while conducting more research and developing plans to address other aspects of the problem.
"We are moving aggressively as well as we promised we would back in February," he told ABC News in an interview on Monday.