EPA Introduces New Rules to Address PFAS Pollution and Remediation Costs

On February 1, 2024,the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has released two new rules to address pollution from per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) and the financial burden of remediation expenditures on businesses. The first rule would change the definition of hazardous waste, ensuring that regulations reflect the authority of both the EPA and authorized states to require cleanup of all substances intended by the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA), including emerging chemicals of concern like PFAS. The second rule would add certain PFAS chemicals as harmful elements to RCRA standards, adding them to the list of substances for consideration in facility assessments and further investigation and cleanup through the corrective action process.