Protect your business and reputation: Mitigate risks by staying ahead of PFAS regulations
At a glance
Regulations and best practices surrounding per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are understandably confusing and ever-changing across the United States and abroad, and the recent announcement by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) of proposed drinking water Maximum Contaminant Levels (MCLs) for PFAS are adding to the confusion.
This advocacy effort also involves pushing for legislation at the state level in the US to ban these chemicals in a growing number of products. EPA has recognized PFAS as a hazardous substance, and as part of the new MCL proposal, has stated that PFOA and PFOS are likely to cause cancer in humans.
Compound | Proposed MCLG | Proposed MCL | HBWC (ppt) |
---|---|---|---|
PFOA | Zero | 4.0 ppt (ng/L) | -- |
PFOS | Zero | 4.0 ppt | -- |
PFNA | Hazard Index (1.0) | Hazard Index (1.0) | 10.0 |
PFHxS | 9.0 | ||
PFBS | 2000 | ||
HFPO-DA (GenX) | 10.0 |
Regardless of the business sector, the proposed MCLs, the potential for lawsuits involving PFAS, and grassroots advocacy efforts will impact the manufacturing industry and potentially expose you to unforeseen liabilities. These factors could affect anyone who has even small amounts of PFAS in their products, whether intentional or not, or in the soil, groundwater, or surface water on or next to their sites.
Rest assured, we have a viable solution in the form of risk assessment.
The importance of risk assessment and communication in navigating the PFAS regulatory landscape
"Risk assessment is a scientific tool that offers perspectives on both exposure science and toxicology for humans and for the environment to help you navigate and make sense of the ever-changing PFAS regulatory situation."
It’s a process that uses scientific methods to evaluate the potential health risks that exposure to a substance may pose to humans and the environment, and involves several steps, including hazard identification, exposure assessment, toxicity assessment, and risk characterization.
The process begins with understanding the potential sources, environmental transport mechanisms, exposure pathways, and receptors to ensure that the assessment is protective of health, and culminates in calculations of hazard index, among other measures, similar to what is needed to meet the proposed PFAS MCLs. In this way, risk assessment puts analytical chemistry results in a real-life, health-based context to raise awareness of the potential health risks posed, regardless of how your chemistry results compare to government-set values.
Risk communication is another important component of risk assessment. Our job as risk assessors is to explain to various stakeholders that exposure does not necessarily equate to toxicity and there are multiple factors involved that determine if the presence of PFAS is a health concern.
Mitigating risks: it is never too early to begin risk assessment
Often, the earlier a problem is identified, the better your outcome. Whether it is a potential introduction to PFAS or another emerging contaminant in your product, packaging, or environmental media at your site, identifying PFAS sources and where they may be introduced in manufacturing and to the environment is essential to mitigating risk. Regardless of whether you have already identified PFAS in your products or at your site, or are in the process of screening for them, our expert team is available to help and guide you along every step of the way.
Risk assessment guides you through the aftermath of PFAS contamination, consequences, and risk communication, helping you determine the best course of action and stay within the boundaries of the ever-changing legal landscape around PFAS.