EPA Proposes to Close Reporting ‘Loophole’ for PFAS

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is proposing to close a “loophole” that allowed some companies to get out of reporting their releases of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, also known as PFAS, according to news reports.

The EPA said it is proposing to end stipulations that let companies get out of disclosing how much PFAS they are dumping. Under the current regulations implemented during the Trump administration, companies did not have to disclose the presence of PFAS if it only made up a small concentration of an overall discharge. The agency said that fewer companies than expected reported PFAS releases in 2021 and 2022.

“PFAS continue to pose an urgent threat to our country and communities deserve to know if they may be exposed because of the way these chemicals are being managed, recycled or released,” said EPA Administrator Michael Regan in an article published in The Hill. “By removing this reporting loophole, we’re advancing the work set out in the agency’s PFAS Strategic Roadmap and ensuring that companies report information for even small concentrations of PFAS.”

To read the full report, click here. Additionally, TRSA will host a Jan. 19, 2023, webinar on the impact of potential PFAS regulations on the linen, uniform and facility services industry. Click here for more information and to register.