EPA's PFAS Wastewater Survey Stalled at White House for Two Years

A nationwide survey designed to pinpoint which industries are releasing harmful PFAS chemicals into the country's wastewater has been stalled at the White House for nearly two years, according to two former Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) officials involved in its creation.

The survey, which would be the first of its kind, was submitted to the White House Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for approval in October 2024. Such reviews typically take around 60 days, but this one has languished, raising questions about the current administration's commitment to addressing the chemicals.

PFAS, often called 'forever chemicals' due to their persistence in the environment, have been linked to certain cancers, developmental issues in children, and reduced vaccine effectiveness. Wastewater treatment plants are not equipped to remove these substances, meaning they are often released back into rivers and soil.

Robert Wood, former director of the engineering and analysis division in the EPA's Office of Water, said the survey is critical for identifying the top industrial polluters. "If we can determine the top one, the top two, the top three industries that dump PFAS, then we start work on the detailed studies and the regulation to get after nationwide limits," he said.

Stuart Shapiro, a former OMB staffer and dean at Rutgers University, called the delay "sufficiently unusual" and said it warrants asking whether the office is simply sitting on the proposal.

The stall comes as the Trump administration has faced criticism from environmental groups for being too industry-friendly. While it has kept some Biden-era limits on PFAS in drinking water, it has delayed other significant rules and restarted the regulatory process for reducing PFAS in wastewater from chemical manufacturers.

The survey also aimed to collect data on PFAS in biosolids—the treated solids from wastewater plants that are often spread on farm fields as fertilizer. The Biden-era EPA had issued a draft report on the health risks of this practice, which the Trump administration criticized for lacking a national survey. David Andrews of the Environmental Working Group called this a "logical paradox," noting that the exact survey needed to address that criticism has been left unapproved.

While some industry groups argue enough data already exists, states like Michigan have shown the value of such information. By requiring treatment plants to sample their industrial waste, Michigan was able to pressure industries to reduce their PFAS discharges, leading to substantial reductions in the chemicals released into the environment.