TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Taiwan will improve the safety quality of drinking water by incorporating standards for per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), the Ministry of Environment (MOE) announced on Monday (Aug. 12).

The change follows the MOE’s April designation of perfluorohexane sulfonic acid (PFHxS), its salts, and related compounds in the PFAS family as toxic chemicals, according to CNA. A correlation was discovered between exposure to PFAS and an increased risk of illnesses, including cancer, cardiovascular diseases, fertility problems, and children’s developmental disorders.

Because PFAS is a persistent organic pollutant, it poses a threat to public health if it enters the drinking water supply, the MOE said. Last year, a drinking water quality report by National Cheng Kung University tested 50 samples each of perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS), and PFHxS, finding that inspection data exceeded international standards once for PFOS and twice for PFHxS.

MOE Water Quality Protection Department Director Wang Yeuh-bin (王嶽斌) said Taiwan’s target value will be equivalent to Japan’s, which requires PFOA plus PFOS to be less than 50 nanograms per liter (ng/L), and Australia’s, which requires PFOS plus PFHxS to be less than 70 ng/L. The guidelines will be released as early as late August, Wang said.

Wang added that if Taiwan completes the legislation, it will become the first in Asia to legalize PFAS drinking water quality standards. In addition to drinking water quality standards, subsequent PFAS regulations will cover water discharge, pollution, and testing and reporting management.