Researching PFAS on Bloomberg Law

If you are concerned about your continuous exposure to harmful chemicals like me, then you have probably already heard of perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). If you were not yet aware, you can now add PFAS to the long list of chemicals to watch out for. PFAS are man-made chemicals that include PFOA, PFOS,  GenX, and many others. They do not breakdown and can build up in the environment and human body over time. PFAS are often found in food, commercial household products, industrial facilities, drinking water, and other living organisms. The EPA has acknowledged that most people have already been exposed to PFAS, and that exposure can cause adverse health effects. The most consistent of these is increased levels of cholesterol, with limited findings related to cancer, thyroid hormone disruption, and low infant birth weights. Because of the dangers associated with exposure, in 2016, the EPA issued a non-regulatory health advisory that established a margin of protection from a lifetime exposure at 70 parts per trillion. Following the EPA’s guidance, many state environmental agencies began issuing their own advisories and regulations.

The State PFAS Actions Tracker within Bloomberg Law’s Environmental & Safety Practice Center makes researching each state’s PFAS actions quick and easy. The tracker provides a current (as of January 2020) list of each state’s legislative or regulatory activity related to PFAS.

A table summarizes each action and notes its status as proposed, pending, in effect, or suspended. Links to relevant legislation and regulations are provided. Pennsylvania’s tracker describes the PFAS Action Team that was established by Governor Wolf’s September 2018 Executive Order, and links to 4 Pa. Code § 6.711, which outlines the function, composition, and effective date of the Action Team.

On your next visit to Jenkins, take a seat at one of our onsite Bloomberg Law terminals and check out the PFAS Actions Tracker.