New Brunswick, N.J. (Jan. 18, 2019) – Rutgers University–New Brunswick Professor Keith R. Cooper can provide insight on the proposed N.J. Department of Environmental Protection interim ground water quality criteria for two long-lasting chemicals that can accumulate in people.
The draft interim criteria announced today are 10 parts per trillion for perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and for perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS). The DEP will accept public comment on its proposal through Feb. 19, and its goal is to finalize the criteria within the next several months. The criteria will remain interim until the DEP adopts rules setting formal standards for ground water and drinking water, according to a DEP statement.
The agency issued its first fish consumption advisories for PFAS (perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances), which include PFOA, PFOS and PFNA, last year. The chemicals were once widely used in the manufacturing of non-stick cookware, stain-resistant clothing and fabrics, food packaging, firefighting foams and other applications, according to a 2018 DEP news release.
“As chair of the New Jersey Drinking Water Quality Institute, I am pleased to see that the maximum contaminant levels (MCLs) that were recommended to the DEP commissioner have now moved into the final stages for implementation at the state level,” said Cooper, a toxicologist and professor in the Department of Biochemistry and Microbiology.
“This represents a tremendous amount of work over the years by many people who are institute members or work at the N.J. DEP and N.J. Department of Health, as well as by people in the regulated communities and nongovernment organizations who have weighed in on these issues. This action demonstrates that our state is a leader in this area and works to protect public health for the citizens of New Jersey,” he said.
Cooper is available for comment at [email protected]
###
Broadcast interviews: Rutgers University–New Brunswick has broadcast-quality TV and radio studios available for remote live or taped interviews with Rutgers experts. For more information, contact Neal Buccino [email protected]
ABOUT RUTGERS—NEW BRUNSWICK
Rutgers University–New Brunswick is where Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey, began more than 250 years ago. Ranked among the world’s top 60 universities, Rutgers’s flagship university is a leading public research institution and a member of the prestigious Association of American Universities. It is home to internationally acclaimed faculty and has 12 degree-granting schools and a Division I Athletics program. It is the Big Ten Conference’s most diverse university. Through its community of teachers, scholars, artists, scientists, and healers, Rutgers is equipped as never before to transform lives.
RSS