A New Hampshire legislative committee has voted to approve some of the nation's toughest drinking water standards for a class of toxic chemicals that have caused widespread contamination and sparked health concerns.
On Thursday, the New Hampshire Joint Legislative Committee on Administrative Rules approved three measures allowing standards for compounds known as per- and poly-fluoro-alykyl substances, collectively called PFAS to go into effect. New Hampshire is proposing a maximum of 12 parts per trillion for one of the contaminants called PFOA and 15 parts per trillion for another called PFOS.
The substances, used in firefighting foam, nonstick cookware and other products, have been dubbed "forever chemicals" because they persist in the environment.
Studies found potential links between high levels in the body of one form of the contaminants and illnesses.
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