The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has finalized a rule preventing companies from starting or resuming the manufacture or processing of 329 per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) known as “inactive PFAS” without a complete EPA review and risk determination. These chemicals may have been used without review in various industries, posing potential risks to the environment and public health. The rule is part of the Biden-Harris Administration’s commitment to environmental justice and addressing the impacts of PFAS. The EPA will now conduct modern, robust reviews before any of these inactive PFAS can be used again, requiring companies to notify the EPA first. The final rule aligns with reporting requirements for the Active-Inactive rule, and any new uses of PFAS will be considered under the EPA’s framework for evaluating new PFAS and uses, announced in June 2023. The rule is a key action under EPA Administrator Michael S. Regan’s PFAS Strategic Roadmap.
For more information on PFAS and new regulation visit epa.gov, and for more details on this article click here.
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