POTENTIAL REGULATION OF ENDOCRINE DISRUPTORS AND EMERGING CONTAMINANTS IN WASTEWATER….A POSSIBILITY?

Emerging environmental contaminants include a wide variety of chemicals that have been largely outside of the scope of environmental regulation. There are numerous ongoing studies to determine the endocrine disrupting potential of many different types of emerging contaminants. The discovery of these previously undetected contaminants prompts questions about what the emerging data really means and what should be done about the perceived problems. To answer these questions, it is necessary for water and wastewater providers to be armed with an understanding on current regulation and policy as well as the potential for future regulation among all of the applicable regulatory programs. Currently, no single regulatory program in the U.S. considers the totality of the potential risks of endocrine disruptors and emerging contaminants, which can lead to over-regulation as well as under-regulation. The discussion focuses on the regulatory mechanisms for pre-market and post-market chemical regulation and the impact this regulation will have on the municipal water and wastewater providers.