Intent to regulate PFAS as a class

Summary#

The federal government (through Environment and Climate Change Canada and Health Canada) says it will treat per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances — known as PFAS — as a class rather than one chemical at a time. The notice (published April 24, 2021) announces research, monitoring, and a plan to publish a State of PFAS Report within the next two years and invites stakeholders to give feedback.

What it does#

• Explains why a class-based approach is needed: there are over 4,700 PFAS and many lack safety data, so treating them one-by-one is impractical.
• Commits the federal government to actions in 2021, including:
  • continuing to fund research and monitoring on PFAS;
  • collecting and reviewing information to support a class-based approach;
  • reviewing what other countries are doing on PFAS policy.
• Promises to publish a State of PFAS Report within the next two years to summarize what is known about the whole class.
• Invites stakeholders and interested parties to provide initial feedback and to take part in future engagement (contact: eccc.substances.eccc@canada.ca).
• Notes existing Canadian actions against specific PFAS: PFOS, PFOA, and LC-PFCAs have been restricted since 2016, and further regulatory steps were being consulted on in spring 2021.

Who's affected#

• Manufacturers and importers of goods that contain PFAS (Canada does not manufacture most PFAS domestically; many come in as part of products).
• Industries that use PFAS or PFAS-containing products, such as manufacturers of:
  • firefighting foams,
  • textiles and carpets,
  • food packaging,
  • cosmetics and personal-care products,
  • certain industrial lubricants and coatings.
• Municipalities, wastewater and landfill operators, and sites near airports, military bases, or other places where firefighting foams were used.
• Consumers who use PFAS-containing products and communities with PFAS-contaminated drinking water or environments.
• Environmental and public-health groups and researchers who follow or study PFAS issues.

Why it matters#

• PFAS are persistent in the environment, can travel long distances, and have been detected in people, wildlife, water and soil. That makes them hard to clean up and control once released.
• Some well-studied PFAS are linked to health concerns (for example, effects on the liver, immune system and development). The government says replacements for already-regulated PFAS may pose similar risks.
• Treating PFAS as a class aims to address exposures to multiple PFAS at once, reduce the chance of “regrettable substitutions” (replacing one harmful PFAS with another similar one), and speed up protective actions for public health and the environment.
• This notice is an intent and planning step, not a new law. Stakeholders can still provide input as the government develops its next steps.