Toxic threats

It’s up to us to protect our ecosystems and communities from toxic chemicals.

Most of the 80,000 chemicals on the market in the United States have been put into use without testing long-term consequences for the environment, or their impacts on our health. We should make sure that any chemical in use is safe, eliminate those we know are dangerous, and stop using any that are damaging healthy ecosystems. And if an industry makes a toxic mess, we should know right away, and they should be the ones to pay for cleaning it up.

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If we don't protect the environment then we can’t protect its natural services that are essential to our survival. Michael "Pic" Petelle, Member, Environment Georgia

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Analysis reveals lead contamination in Georgia’s school water

Toxic threats

Analysis reveals lead contamination in Georgia’s school water

ATLANTA – As part of National Lead Poisoning Prevention Week, Environment Georgia released on Tuesday a new analysis of Georgia’s lead in school drinking water program. The program, known as “Clean Water for Georgia Kids,” was launched in June 2021 by the Georgia Department of Education and RTI International research institute and is funded by the EPA’s WIIN grant. As of early October, only 46 schools and daycare centers had taken advantage of the free lead testing available through the program. Of the testing that has occured, 45% of the samples collected showed lead concentrations above the level recommended by The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP).

Media Releases  

Environmental, public health groups to Senate: Act on toxic PFAS in drinking water

Clean water

Environmental, public health groups to Senate: Act on toxic PFAS in drinking water

Eighty-two organizations, including Environment America and U.S. PIRG, delivered a letter Wednesday to the U.S. Senate’s Environment and Public Works (EPW) Committee calling for comprehensive federal legislation to protect Americans’ drinking water from contamination by the toxic class of chemicals known as PFAS. The organizations, which hail from 30 states, asked the EPW Committee to designate all PFAS as hazardous substances, prohibit their use in firefighting foam, and direct the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to issue drinking water standards and stop the dumping of PFAS into our nation’s waterways.

Media Releases  

Statement: EPA advises stronger limits on levels of toxic PFAS chemicals to protect Georgians’ health

Clean water

Statement: EPA advises stronger limits on levels of toxic PFAS chemicals to protect Georgians’ health

Atlanta -- The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) unveiled on Wednesday new health advisories for four of the most common toxic PFAS chemicals that pollute drinking water nationwide. These official EPA actions “provide technical information to drinking water system operators, as well as federal, state, Tribal, and local officials, on the health effects, analytical methods, and treatment technologies associated with drinking water contaminants.” In addition, the EPA announced the first round of funding to help clean up these so-called “forever chemicals” in public water systems. However, the EPA does not have the authority to enforce any PFAS standard associated with the health advisory.

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