Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), which include perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and perfluorooctane sulfonic acid (PFOS), are a broad range of synthetic chemicals that have been used in industry and consumer goods for a number of years.
Capable of repelling water, grease, oil and dirt, this class of chemicals has been used in products such as non-stick cookware.
However, there has been ongoing moves to regulate their use because of their toxicity and harmful effect on the environment.
Since the beginning of 2023 a number of US states have introduced bills to regulate PFAS. These include, but are not limited to California, Colorado, Connecticut, Hawaii, Maine, Maryland, Minnesota, New York, San Francisco, Santa Rosa, Rhode Island, Vermont and Washington.
The range of products covered by the new laws differs from state to state, as do the requirements.
In Minnesota, for example, from 2025 any product that has had PFAS intentionally added to it must display a notification to this effect. From 2030, all products containing PFAS will be banned in the state. In other states such as Virginia, the ban on PFAS is only applicable to children’s products.