On Sept. 1 of this year, the California State Legislature passed AB-2247 – Perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) and PFAS products and product components: publicly accessible data collection interface. The bill requires the California Department of Toxic Substances Control to:
- Publish a publicly accessible chemical data collection website, and
- Promulgate regulations mandating reporting requirements on all companies who manufacture, distribute, or import PFAS, or products and product components that contain intentionally added PFAS, into the state of California.
The approved legislative text was sent to California Governor Gavin Newsom’s Desk a day later on Sept. 2, where he is expected to sign the bill into law in the coming weeks. Assuming the bill becomes law, the California Department of Toxic Substances Control will have until Jan. 1, 2026, to fully develop and release the PFAS database to the public. Afterwards, manufacturers and importers will be required to publicly disclose all their manufactured and imported PFAS data by July 1, 2026, and annually thereafter.
PFAS is a large family of synthetic compounds utilized in a wide variety of industrial applications due to its water repellency, chemical inertness, chemical resistance and surfactant properties. Despite their efficacy in industrial and consumer applications, various environmental groups and regulatory agencies have concerns over the use of PFAS substances due to their extremely long environmental half-life and potential negative health effects in humans and wildlife.
Various international and state governments have started drafting legislation to address these environmental and health concerns surrounding PFAS. These rules primarily focus on restricting PFAS for certain consumer end-uses, or banning them outright.
These new laws can have a very real impact on how your business operates. If you, or your company, are interested in learning more, please contact AEM Director of Global Standards and Compliance Jason Malcore at jmalcore@aem.org.
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