PFAS Resources and Information

The increasingly complex landscape of state and federal activities on per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) creates challenges for each state to effectively address contamination and citizen concerns about the risks of these persistent chemicals. ECOS is working closely with its members, federal agencies, and other stakeholders to keep each other informed about policy and scientific developments, newly-identified sources and exposure pathways, and best practices for risk communication. These resources aim to inform states on activities and efforts happening at ECOS and across the country.

PFAS are a large family of synthetic chemicals used for a wide variety of purposes. In recent years, scientists have concluded that some of these substances can pose risks to human health and the environment across multiple media, including drinking water, surface water, groundwater, soil, air, and fish and wildlife. 

ECOS Paper: Processes and Considerations for Setting State PFAS Standards

Updated April 25, 2024

In recent years, federal, state, and international authorities have established various health-based regulatory values and evaluation criteria for a number of specific per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in response to growing concerns with contamination. In April 2024, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) enacted federally enforceable PFAS standards for five PFAS in drinking water. However, at this time, the U.S. has no federally enforceable PFAS standards for other PFAS or for these PFAS in other environmental media, leaving individual states to navigate various avenues for addressing contamination. Some states have established legally enforceable values (e.g., drinking water Maximum Contaminant Levels [MCLs]) for certain PFAS in drinking water, groundwater, surface water, soil, or air. Other states and regulatory agencies have opted for non-enforceable values such as guidance levels, screening numbers, or advisories that may apply to PFAS for which promulgated standards do not exist.

The Environmental Council of the States (ECOS) in 2019 compiled information on state PFAS standards, advisories, and guidance values. Sharing data and regulatory approaches helps federal, state, and international authorities avoid unnecessary duplication of efforts, as well as understand and communicate about differences in guidelines. This paper outlines ECOS’ findings on state efforts and considerations for future regulatory activities on PFAS. The document was initially published in February 2020 and updated in March/April 2021, March 2022, and March 2023. This April 2024 update reflects the addition of three states, two new subsections, and new regulatory, legislative, and scientific activities that have occurred over the past year. ECOS will continue to update it annually as appropriate.

Read the updated paper on setting state PFAS standards.

Notes as of April 2024: 

• If your state has updated standards or would like to be included in the next update to this white paper (2025), please email Sarah Grace Hughes of ECOS.
• U.S. EPA’s Office of Water’s Standards and Health Protection Division houses the Agency’s Fish Advisory program, which supports states in their formulation and issuance of fish consumption advisories. In September 2020, staff in that program and in the EPA Office of Research and Development compiled an updated list of state’s advisory thresholds since ECOS’s compilation in the appendices of this white paper. That listing can be found here. Much of this information has been incorporated into Appendix F of the updated ECOS PFAS standards white paper.

ECOS Report: PFAS in Biosolids: A Review of State Efforts & Opportunities for Action

Published January 27, 2023

For years, states have been actively working to address per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) contamination in a variety of environmental media. One recent challenge is the management of solids, which may be contaminated with PFAS as a result of its discharge to sewer systems from industry, businesses, and households and subsequent accumulation in biosolids produced from municipal wastewater treatment processes. This challenge encompasses a variety of considerations about testing, disposal, treatment, migration to groundwater and drinking water, and potential uptake to crops and animals if land applied. As there is no federal regulation or guidance for PFAS-contaminated biosolids, it is currently up to individual states to determine best practices for managing these contaminated wastewater residuals.

The Environmental Council of the States (ECOS) in November 2022 collected information from state environmental agencies on policies, testing, research gaps, and risk communication challenges related to PFAS in biosolids. Thirty-four states responded to the survey. This paper outlines ECOS’ findings on how these states manage biosolids, and where opportunities exist for regulation, research, and risk communication.

Read the report on PFAS in biosolids.

PFAS Monitoring

Updated February 2024

When ECOS updated its white paper in 2021, some states noted that they monitor for many more PFAS than are actually regulated, and that it would be helpful to get a sense for PFAS that other states monitor for. ECOS began compiling a spreadsheet, and will update it regularly as it receives information from states. Please email Sarah Grace Hughes of ECOS to include your states’ PFAS monitoring lists.

PFAS Risk Communications Hub

In 2018, ECOS and ASTHO interviewed environmental and health agency staff from 13 states and developed case studies on their risk communication strategies and lessons learned for PFAS and HABs. Building upon lessons learned from this effort, ECOS and ASTHO in 2019 developed a clearinghouse of PFAS risk communication resources to help state environmental and health managers more easily collaborate and disseminate audience-appropriate information on chemicals of emerging concern.

Check out the case studies and other risk communication resources on the clearinghouse webpage on ERIS.