In brief
Public health advocates express alarm over the potential impact of Donald Trump's presidency on regulations regarding PFAS—harmful chemicals contaminating the nation's drinking water. With Trump's appointment of Robert F. Kennedy Jr. as health secretary, fears rise that federal protections introduced by President Biden to eradicate these "forever chemicals" could be jeopardized.
Since taking office, President Biden initiated a significant policy that aims to remove six types of PFAS from drinking water due to their associations with serious health issues, including cancer. The Trump administration, however, is under pressure from chemical corporations looking to overturn these regulations. Advocates from the Natural Resources Defense Council highlight the unprecedented nature of such a rollback on water safety measures and predict public outcry as awareness spreads. As the administration prepares to take action, the fate of water quality—and the chemicals present in it—hangs in the balance.
