US EPA Takes Key Step to Stop Unsafe PFAS from Reentering Commerce

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) proposed a rule that would prevent companies from starting or resuming the manufacture, processing or use of an estimated 300 per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) that have not been made or used for many years without a complete EPA review and risk determination. In the past, these chemicals, known as “inactive PFAS,” may have been used in many industries in a variety of ways, including as binding agents, surfactants, in the production of sealants and gaskets, and may also have been released into the environment. Without this proposed rule, companies could resume uses of these PFAS absent notification to and review by EPA. The proposal reflects the Biden-Harris Administration’s commitment to address the impacts of these forever chemicals, and is a key action in EPA’s PFAS Strategic Roadmap.

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