Archives

November 20, 2024

EPA Extends Deadline for Public Comment on Manufacture of Certain PFAS during Fluorination of HDPE and Other Plastic Containers

On November 20, 2024, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced an extension to the comment period for the notice published September 30, 2024, seeking public comment on the manufacture of certain per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), including perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), perfluorononanoic acid (PFNA), and perfluorodecanoic acid (PFDA), during the fluorination of high-density polyethylene (HDPE) and other plastic containers to inform regulations as appropriate under the...
November 20, 2024

MPCA Requests Comments on Planned PFAS in Products Reporting and Fee Rule

On November 18, 2024, the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) requested comments on planned rules governing reporting and fees paid by manufacturers upon submission of required information about products containing per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). MPCA notes that “[a]t this stage, we do not have a draft rule; we want your feedback to inform us about the ideas described under the Subject of Rules section.” Instead, the purpose of the current request for comments (RFC)...
November 15, 2024

EPA Releases Third Annual PFAS Strategic Roadmap Report

On November 14, 2024, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced the release of its third annual progress report, “highlighting the significant achievements the agency has made under its PFAS Strategic Roadmap and the Biden-Harris Administration’s whole-of-government strategy to protect communities from the impacts of forever chemicals.” According to EPA’s press release, progress on per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) during the Biden-Harris Administration includes:...
November 4, 2024

EPA Issues Fifth Test Order for a PFAS

On October 9, 2024, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced that it has issued its fifth Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) test order requiring testing on per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) under its National PFAS Testing Strategy. The order requires Innovative Chemical Technologies, The Chemours Company, Daikin America, Inc., Sumitomo Corporation of Americas, and E.I. Du Pont de Nemours and Company to conduct and submit testing on...
November 1, 2024

Lynn L. Bergeson, “EPA Extends PFAS Reporting Deadline to 2026,” Chemical Processing, November 1, 2024.

We heard a loud, collective sigh of relief when the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) unexpectedly published a direct final rule on Sept. 5, delaying the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) reporting deadline by an additional eight months.  The rule delayed the deadline from May 8, 2025, to January 11, 2026. For any company reporting exclusively as an article importer and is also considered a small manufacturer, the...
October 17, 2024

EPA Proposes to Add 16 PFAS and 15 PFAS Categories to the TRI List of Chemicals

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) proposed on October 8, 2024, to add 16 individual per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) and 15 PFAS categories representing more than 100 individual PFAS to the Toxics Release Inventory (TRI) list of toxic chemicals subject to reporting under the Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act (EPCRA) and the Pollution Prevention Act (PPA) to comply with the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2020 (NDAA). 89 Fed. Reg. 81776....
October 9, 2024

Senate Committee Hearing on Public Impacts of PFAS Exposures Postponed

As reported in our September 24, 2024, blog item, the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works (EPW) was scheduled to hold a hearing on September 26 titled “Examining the Public Health Impacts of [Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS)] Exposures.” The hearing was postponed on September 25, 2024, when the Senate adjourned until November after enactment of H.R. 9747, the Continuing Appropriations and Extensions Act, 2025, also known as the Continuing Resolution (CR) to fund...
October 9, 2024

EPA Seeks Public Comment on Manufacture of Certain PFAS during Fluorination of HDPE and Other Plastic Containers

On September 30, 2024, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) requested public comment on the manufacture of certain per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), including perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), perfluorononanoic acid (PFNA), and perfluorodecanoic acid (PFDA), during the fluorination of high-density polyethylene (HDPE) and other plastic containers to inform regulations as appropriate under the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA). 89 Fed. Reg. 79581. EPA notes that this request for...
October 3, 2024

Minnesota Posts Q&As from July 2024 Webinars on PFAS in Products Law; Leaders Mark 100 Days until Law Takes Effect

The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) held two public webinars in July 2024 to provide updates and answer questions on Minnesota’s per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in products law (Amara’s Law), which takes effect in stages between 2025 and 2032. MPCA has posted its presentations, recordings of the webinars, and written responses to questions received during the webinars. The questions and answers (Q&A) note that the written responses “are advisory as of September 12,...
October 2, 2024

Lynn L. Bergeson, “Canada Announces PFAS Mandatory Survey,” Chemical Processing, October 2, 2024.

Canada recently joined a growing list of countries requiring the reporting of certain information on the manufacture, import and use of specific per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). On July 27, 2024, Canada’s Minister of the Environment published a Canada Gazette notice announcing a mandatory survey to obtain information on 312 listed PFAS. Canada’s “Guidance manual for responding to the: Notice with respect to certain per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS)” states that...