On November 25, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced it is asking the public for input on potentially adding certain per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) to the list of chemicals companies are required to report to the agency as part of the Toxics Release Inventory reporting program.

This action supports the agency’s February 2019 PFAS Action Plan, which describes EPA’s long- and short-term actions to address PFAS.

EPA’s Toxics Release Inventory is an important tool that provides the public with information about the use of certain chemicals by tracking their management  and associated activities.

U.S. facilities in different industry sectors must report annually how much of each chemical is released to the environment and/or managed through recycling, energy recovery, and treatment.

TRI helps support informed decision-making by companies, government agencies, non-governmental organizations and the public.

Currently, no PFAS chemicals are included on the list of chemicals required to report to TRI.

As EPA considers whether to add these chemicals, the agency will use public comments and information received in response to the Advance Notice of Proposed Rulemaking for two purposes.

First, the public input will help the agency determine whether data and information are available to fulfill the TRI chemical listing criteria. Second, EPA will use the input to help evaluate the extent and usefulness of the data that would be gathered under TRI.

All comments and information received in response to this ANPRM will be evaluated along with previously collected and assembled studies.

If EPA decides to move forward with adding PFAS chemicals to the TRI, the agency will publish a proposed rule and seek public comment on the proposal.

Click Here for a copy of the Advanced Notice of Proposed Rulemaking.  A 60-day comment period will open upon publication in the Federal Register.

For more information on federal actions related to PFAS chemicals, visit EPA’s PFAS webpage. 

Visit EPA’s Toxics Release Inventory webpage for more information on chemical reporting, including reporting on potentially hazardous chemicals in Pennsylvania.

For information on what Pennsylvania is doing, visit DEP’s PFAS: What They Are webpage.

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[Posted: November 25, 2019]

12/2/2019