Spring has arrived and with it another month of PFAS updates is here. Much of the conversation today revolves around the uncertainty of existing and future regulations, as well as the downsizing of many federal agencies, including U.S. EPA, and the possible dismantling of the Office of Research and Development which among many other things is responsible for new testing methods. This puts the onus of research and regulatory development on the states, some of which have already leapt into action with many of them considering PFAS bans among other actions. Also, there has been quite a bit of news in Canada as well, including adding PFAS to the official list of toxic substances list.
SGS Updates: TFSI & More!
If you’re looking beyond our long list of targeted and total PFAS capabilities, we’re going to be offering interference checking, suspect screening and non-target analysis using high-resolution mass spectrometry at the end of Q2 2025. Meanwhile, we’d like to hear from you on your project and data needs in this exciting and emerging field, and how we can help you answer complex PFAS fingerprinting and forensics questions.
For more information on how these updates impact you, contact our experts today.
Stay tuned! Click on SGS PFAS/emerging contaminants analysis capabilities, and see why SGS delivers what you need every step of way.
US Policy News
Regulatory uncertainty has long been a defining trait of litigation around PFAS, colloquially known as “forever chemicals.” The landscape is shifting once again, after the Trump administration withdrew an Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rule that set strict limits on PFAS discharges.
US News by State
National
States Float PFAS Drinking Water Limits as EPA Weighs Biden Rule
State lawmakers are proposing new limits on per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances in tap water as questions emerge about the Trump administration’s stance on regulating the chemicals. Some, like California’s and Connecticut’s, would set the state’s first enforceable MCL for the chemicals. Others, like New York’s, Vermont’s, and Pennsylvania’s, would make existing standards stricter. Vermont’s proposed bill is the strictest, suggesting the complete elimination of six types of PFAS and a 20 parts-per-trillion (ppt) total limit for any remaining testable PFAS.
Hundreds of EPA scientists expected to be fired in more Trump administration cuts
The Trump administration plans to eliminate a major research body of the Environmental Protection Agency, possible cutting more than 1,000 employees, according to documents on the government’s reduction in force agenda. The EPA’s Office of Research and Development would be eliminated “as an EPA National Program Office,” documents reviewed by Democratic staffers on the House Science, Space and Technology Committe say.
Local News
Illinois
Chicago Considers New Approaches for PFAS Management – Inside Climate News
Controlling the source of the so-called forever chemicals can make the clean-up process more sustainable, according to a new member of the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District. The waters of Lake Michigan glitter alongside the entire east side of Chicago, providing nearly one billion gallons of drinking water per day to the region’s residents. Beneath the city, 65 miles of water tunnels form a complex web to deliver this water to residents, some of it running through Stickney, Illinois, home to the world’s largest wastewater treatment plant.
Maryland
Pesticide safety groups pull support for PFAS bill after House amendments – Maryland Matters
Advocates who were fervent supporters of a bill to ban a type of pesticide in Maryland are so spooked by House changes to the bill that they want to quash it altogether rather than push for amendments. The House last week gave unanimous approval to House Bill 386, which would prohibit the sale and use of pesticides containing PFAS, the “forever chemicals” linked to serious health issues, beginning in 2032.But the House version changed the definition of PFAS from the original bill to severely limit the pesticides that would be affected and, advocates fear, would open the door to a relaxation of PFAS standards elsewhere in state regulations.
New Jersey
Panel to look at ‘acceptable levels’ of PFAS in Jersey water
An independent panel of scientists will look at whether regulations on the acceptable level of potentially harmful chemicals in Jersey’s water supply need to change. PFAS (perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances), also known as forever chemicals, were present in firefighting foam used at the airport fire training ground in the early 1990s and leaked into the neighbouring area and private borehole water supplies. Environment Minister Deputy Steve Luce told the States Assembly that the panel’s report would be ready by summer.
Oregon
Oregon lawmakers consider ban on toxic ‘forever chemicals’
The House Committee on Climate, Energy and Environment heard testimony on Thursday regarding House Bill 3512, a proposed law aimed at prohibiting the manufacture and use of toxic PFAS chemicals in Oregon starting in 2026. Known as “forever chemicals” due to their persistence in the environment, PFAS are commonly found in everyday items such as non-stick cookware and waterproof fabrics.
Rhode Island
Rhode Island Joins Growing State Effort to Ban PFAS in Consumer Products
Rhode Island recently passed the Consumer PFAS Ban Act of 2024, which will ban the manufacture, use and distribution of certain products with intentionally added PFAS starting January 1, 2027. The Act further states “[i]t is the intent of the general assembly to ban uses of PFAS in covered products by January 1, 2029, unless the use of PFAS…is considered unavoidable.”
Vermont
Test results show increased PFAS in Bennington region
Several environmental experts came together on Monday to present their research on PFAS in the Bennington region. The EPA said the chemicals in the environment may be linked to harmful health effects in humans and animals.
Canada News
Canada takes steps to address PFAS in domestic packaging
The Government of Canada is taking steps to protect public health and the environment by addressing the potential dangers of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), also known as ‘forever chemicals’, found in food packaging and other products. This initiative includes the publication of the State of PFAS report, which concludes that PFAS, excluding fluoropolymers, pose risks to both human health and the environment.
Canada will add PFAS, which are linked to cancer and other health problems, to toxic substances list
The federal government is moving to add PFAS, a class of thousands of chemicals used in a wide range of products from food containers to clothing, to the official list of toxic substances, in light of growing scientific and public concern about the substances in Canada and around the world. PFAS, or per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, are man-made chemicals used for their water and heat resistant properties. They are widely used in many everyday products — such as packaging, cosmetics and textiles — along with industrial uses like water-repellent coatings and firefighting foam.
The city of North Bay, Ont., has higher than average concentrations of forever chemicals called PFAS. A class of chemicals called per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) could be added to Canada’s list of toxic substances, but it’s unlikely to have an immediate effect on communities already contaminated with the “forever chemicals,” such as North Bay, Ont. In early March, Environment and Climate Change Canada announced it would move to add PFAS to the country’s official toxic substances list.
Global News
Green Seal Prohibits PFAS in Paints and Coatings, Adhesives, Floor Care Products, and Degreasers
Global non-profit Green Seal® announced today a prohibition on any per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in Green Seal-certified paints and coatings, floor care products, adhesives, and degreasers, in line with the ecolabel’s commitment to eliminate these harmful “forever chemicals” from the supply chain for consumer products. Green Seal is among the first eco-certifiers to enact an aggressive ingredient prohibition that addresses PFAS as an entire chemical class.
