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 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.

ECOS Paper: Processes and Considerations for Setting State PFAS Standards

Updated March 9, 2023

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. At this time, the U.S. has no federally enforceable PFAS standards, leaving individual states to navigate various avenues for addressing PFAS contamination. Some states have established legally enforceable values for certain PFAS in drinking water, groundwater, surface water, soil, or other environmental media (e.g., drinking water Maximum Contaminant Levels [MCLs]). 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 and March 2022. This March 2023 update reflects the addition of seven states and new regulatory, legislative, and scientific activities that have occured 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 March 2021: 

• If your state has updated standards or would like to be included in the next update to this white paper (2022), please email Sarah Grace Longsworth 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.

PFAS Monitoring

Updated April 2022

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 Longsworth 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.