Regulatory changes, compliance guidance, and policy updates affecting PFAS compliance.
EPA published a final rule postponing the TSCA Section 8(a)(7) PFAS data reporting period start date from April 13, 2026 to January 31, 2027 (or 60 days after the effective date of a forthcoming substantive requirements rule, whichever is earlier). The six-month submission window is retained for most manufacturers; small manufacturers reporting exclusively as article importers have 12 months total. Any person who manufactured or imported PFAS or PFAS-containing articles since January 1, 2011 must report — including trace amounts. Note: proposed exemptions for imported articles, de minimis concentrations (<0.1%), byproducts, and R&D (proposed Nov 13, 2025) are NOT finalized. The original rule with no exemptions remains in effect.
Department of Defense published updated disposal guidance covering 723 installations and $9.3B+ in cleanup costs. Solid waste landfills dropped, incineration moratorium lifted, AFFF phase-out deadline October 1, 2026.
Bipartisan bill by Sen. Durbin & Rep. McCollum to ban non-essential PFAS in products within 10 years, expand EPA reporting requirements for manufacturers, and strengthen liability protections. Builds on Minnesota's Amara's Law.
Comprehensive tracker of state-level PFAS bans and regulations going into effect in 2026, including product bans, disclosure requirements, and cleanup standards across multiple states.
EPA designated PFOA and PFOS as CERCLA hazardous substances, effective July 2024. This designation triggers mandatory reporting of releases above reportable quantities (1 lb), enables EPA to compel cleanup at contaminated sites, and opens Superfund cost-recovery authority against potentially responsible parties — including manufacturers, industrial users, and municipalities operating PFAS-contaminated landfills.
EPA finalized the first-ever National Primary Drinking Water Regulation (NPDWR) setting maximum contaminant levels (MCLs) for six PFAS: 4 ppt each for PFOA and PFOS; a hazard index for PFHxS, PFNA, HFPO-DA (GenX), and PFBS combined. Applies to all community and non-transient non-community public water systems.
Public water systems have until April 26, 2027 to complete initial PFAS monitoring and report results. Systems exceeding MCLs must notify consumers by 2027 and achieve full compliance — including installing treatment or switching sources — by April 26, 2029. Small systems (serving <10,000 people) may apply for compliance schedule extensions up to two additional years.
EPA designated four Best Available Technologies for PFAS removal under the 2024 NPDWR: granular activated carbon (GAC), anion exchange (IX) resins, nanofiltration (NF), and reverse osmosis (RO). Guidance includes performance data, cost estimates, and applicability thresholds for each BAT. Systems must select and install BAT-compliant treatment by April 2029.
EPA's guidance on destroying PFAS-containing materials including AFFF, investigation-derived waste, and contaminated media. Covers high-temperature incineration, smoldering combustion, supercritical water oxidation (SCWO), electrochemical oxidation, and sonochemical treatment. Includes key operational parameters and monitoring requirements for each technology.
The Fifth Unregulated Contaminant Monitoring Rule required ~6,000 public water systems to test for 29 PFAS and lithium between January 2023 and December 2025. Results inform future regulatory actions. Early data showed detections in approximately 45% of systems tested, providing the first nationally representative PFAS occurrence dataset for drinking water.
The Interstate Technology Regulatory Council's comprehensive PFAS guidance covers site characterization, analytical methods, fate and transport, exposure assessment, risk-based decision making, and remediation technologies. Widely referenced by state regulators and practitioners. Includes technology overview tables, case studies, and a state regulatory summary matrix.
The American Water Works Association provides PFAS-specific operator training, webinars, and compliance checklists for water utility professionals. AWWA resources include technical briefs on GAC, anion exchange, and membrane treatment options, state regulatory summaries, public communication templates, and guidance on implementing the 2024 NPDWR requirements.
NRWA and its state affiliates provide free on-site technical assistance to small and rural water systems navigating PFAS monitoring requirements and compliance planning. Services include compliance training, help interpreting sampling results, and guidance on applying for DWSRF and WIIN Act funding. Contact your state rural water association for local support.
The Water Research Foundation has published extensive research on PFAS treatment performance and cost, including design guidance for GAC and ion exchange systems, lifecycle cost comparisons, and piloting protocols. Key findings are widely referenced in EPA guidance and are used by engineers and utility managers to evaluate technology options before committing to capital investments.
EPA's compliance toolbox for water system operators includes sampling protocol guidance for EPA Method 537.1 and Method 533, certified laboratory lists by state, consumer notification templates for consumer confidence reports and MCL violations, and links to best available technology guidance. The primary reference for systems beginning initial PFAS monitoring under the 2024 NPDWR.
EPA updated its lifetime health advisory levels for PFOA and PFOS to 0.004 ppt and 0.02 ppt respectively — effectively near zero — based on new epidemiological evidence linking PFAS to cancer, immune suppression, and developmental effects at very low concentrations. Interim until the 2024 NPDWR MCLs took effect.
EPA's whole-agency commitment to addressing PFAS across environmental media. Roadmap commitments cover drinking water MCLs, CERCLA hazardous substance designation, effluent limitation guidelines, Superfund cleanup, toxicological research, and community engagement. Sets the policy framework for all subsequent PFAS regulatory actions.
ATSDR's comprehensive toxicological review of 14 PFAS compounds establishes Minimal Risk Levels (MRLs) for oral and inhalation exposure. Covers PFOA, PFOS, PFHxS, PFNA, PFDA, and others. Critical reference for human health risk assessments, site characterization, and exposure modeling at contaminated sites.