The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency completed a Protocol for Developing the Fluoride Human Health Toxicity Assessment on August 3 reflecting public input received on Fluoride Assessment plan. The Protocol is a part of developing the human health assessment that describes how the EPA will conduct the assessment.
The EPA’s assessment of fluoride under the Safe Drinking Water Act will consider neurodevelopmental effects in children (e.g., negative effects on brain function, including lower IQ). The EPA’s assessment will also consider the negative health effects of dental fluorosis (e.g., discoloration and pitting of tooth enamel) in children. The Agency will develop a human health toxicity assessment examining how much exposure to fluoride causes these negative health effects: the fluoride levels that a person can be exposed to without experiencing harmful health effects. The Protocol explains the scientific plan for conducting this analysis.
The Agency will use this Protocol to develop the draft fluoride human health toxicity assessment, which once completed will be available for public comment.
Fluoride is an element that may be found naturally in sources of
drinking water such as groundwater. Fluoride has been added to drinking
water by drinking water systems to improve dental health. Under the Safe
Drinking Water Act, the EPA sets standards that limit the amount of
potentially harmful substances in drinking water provided by public
water systems.
Click here to read more.
NGWA has a best suggested practice, Reducing Problematic Concentrations of Fluoride in Residential Water Well Systems, which is free to members. Click here to learn more.