What are PFAS?

PFAS, or per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, are a growing focus for compliance teams as global standards tighten. These “forever chemicals” resist degradation, accumulate in the environment, and are linked to potential health impacts—driving strict PFAS regulations across major markets. With more than 12,000 individual compounds, PFAS are now one of the most closely monitored chemical groups worldwide. 

Governments in the United States (U.S.), the European Union (EU), and Canada continue to expand oversight through new reporting obligations, drinking water limits, and hazardous substance designations. These changes directly affect product compliance, supply chain transparency, and market access. 

For manufacturers, this isn’t just a regulatory challenge. PFAS concerns influence customer expectations, liability exposure, and long-term brand trust. Staying ahead of fast-moving rules is essential to protect operations. 

Products containing PFAS

PFAS are widely used in various applications that require resistance to water, oil, heat, and non-stick or stain-resistant properties. As a result, PFAS can be found in numerous products, including:  

• Cleaning products 
• Non-stick cookware 
• Cosmetics 
• Furniture 
• Water-resistant fabrics 
• Dental floss 
• Food packaging 
• Pesticides 
• Fire-fighting foam  

These product categories are increasingly targeted by PFAS reporting requirements and proposed PFAS bans across global markets. 

The persistence and health effects of PFAS

PFAS accumulate in soil, water, wildlife, and people due to their strong chemical structure. Exposure often occurs through contaminated drinking water, food near PFAS-using facilities, PFAS-treated packaging, and everyday products. 

Research links exposure to certain PFAS with:  

• Elevated blood cholesterol levels 
• Greater risk of high blood pressure 
• Increased risk of thyroid disease 
• Decreased fertility in women 
• Lower infant birth weight 

These health concerns continue to drive global PFAS regulatory action and push companies to strengthen chemical disclosure and product-level reporting. 

United States PFAS regulations 

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is rapidly advancing PFAS regulations, introducing several major requirements that expand reporting and liability for manufacturers, importers, and brands. 

Key federal EPA actions include: 

• PFOA and PFOS are designated as hazardous substances under CERCLA, increasing cleanup and liability obligations. (April 2024) 
• First national drinking water standards for PFAS, establishing enforceable limits across public water systems. (April 2024) 
• TSCA Significant New Use Rule (SNUR) for inactive PFAS, requiring EPA review before new manufacture or processing. (January 2024) 
• Nine PFAS added to the Toxics Release Inventory (TRI) for reporting. (January 2025) 
• Proposed Resource Conservation and Recovery Act rulemakings to list nine PFAS as hazardous constituents and expand corrective action authority. (February 2024) 
• Nationwide PFAS monitoring under Unregulated Contaminant Monitoring Rule 5, requiring water systems to sample for 29 PFAS. (December 2021) 
• Reporting requirements for manufacturers of PFAS and PFAS-containing articles in effect since 2011, require reporting information to the EPA on PFAS uses, production volumes, disposal, exposures, and hazards. (October 2023) 
  

State-level action is also accelerating, with more states adopting PFAS disclosure laws, product bans, and labeling requirements. 

To learn more about which states have PFAS regulations for consumer products, read our blog U.S. PFAS regulations by State for Consumer Products.  

European Union PFAS regulations 

The EU PFAS regulatory framework spans several major laws, including: 

• REACH Regulation
• Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs) Regulation 
• Classification, Labelling and Packaging (CLP) Regulation 
• Drinking Water Directive 

The EU continues advancing broad, group-wide PFAS restrictions with an additional Universal PFAS restriction proposal under review. These actions significantly impact manufacturers selling into the EU market. 

Canadian PFAS regulations 

Canada regulates PFOS, PFOA, and LC-PFCAs under the Prohibition of Certain Toxic Substances Regulations and has published a notice of intent to address the class of PFAS. The Government of Canada is proposing to take new risk management actions through a phased prohibition under the Canadian Environmental Protection Act (CEPA). PFAS have been proposed to be added to Part 2 of Schedule 1 of the CEPA. Canada’s Phase 1 plan for managing PFAS in firefighting foams aims to progressively prohibit the manufacture, import, and use of PFAS-containing foams not already regulated. The proposal also includes disclosure and labelling requirements to improve transparency about PFAS content in firefighting products. 

These changes reflect Canada’s increasing focus on PFAS risk management, product safety, and supply chain transparency. 

Why PFAS compliance is difficult to manage

The depth and pace of PFAS regulatory action create a level of complexity that’s hard for most compliance teams to absorb. Each region defines PFAS differently, sets unique thresholds, and establishes separate reporting requirements—making it difficult to understand which rules apply to which products. 

On top of that, many suppliers still don’t have complete visibility into their own upstream materials. PFAS may be present in coatings, finishes, additives, or processing aids that rarely appear in standard documentation. As a result, confirming whether a product is truly PFAS free can require far more data than teams are used to collecting. 

This combination of layered regulations and limited supplier transparency increases the risk of incomplete declarations, missed deadlines, and market-access disruptions. Organizations need reliable, scalable ways to track PFAS risk and meet fast-moving compliance expectations across global markets. 

Ensure PFAS regulatory compliance with Source Intelligence 

PFAS compliance becomes far more manageable when teams have reliable data, global regulatory visibility, and a clear view of their supply chain. That’s where Source Intelligence provides critical support. Our platform streamlines the work that becomes most difficult under expanding PFAS regulations. It delivers complete supplier insights, validates declarations, and maps products to evolving global requirements across the U.S., EU, Canada, and beyond. 

Source Intelligence helps you: 

• Identify PFAS across complex, multi-tier supply chains 
• Collect and validate PFAS supplier declarations for accuracy 
• Map products to global PFAS regulations 
• Reduce compliance risk and support market access 

With the most comprehensive PFAS coverage in the industry, Source Intelligence gives your team the clarity and confidence needed to stay ahead of expanding PFAS requirements worldwide. Explore our PFAS solution to see how we eliminate regulatory blind spots and simplify compliance at scale.