By: Paul Bruder, Esq.

Chemicals historically used in products such as non-stick cookware, flame retardant fabrics and fire-fighting foam, although no longer used in the United States, nonetheless continue to show up in public and private water systems across the United States, as well as in soil, because these chemicals – individually PFOA (Perfluorooctanoic Acid) and PFOS (Perfluorooctane Sulfonate) – do not break down naturally in the environment. PFAS (perfluoroalkyl substance) has been linked to some forms of cancer and other illnesses, and there is growing evidence of its link to elevated cholesterol, low birth weight and thyroid problems.

While the United States Environmental Protection Agency begins its process of setting maximum contaminant limits for the PFAS chemicals, and various bills make their way through Congress which would make PFAS a hazardous substance under the Federal Superfund Law (“CERCLA”), Pennsylvania is also exploring the idea of setting its own state-wide health standard  for the PFAS compounds.

The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection will evaluate the effects of PFAS on human health in order to develop standards above which consumption or ingestion of PFAS would potentially be harmful to humans. DEP currently monitors a dozen or more sites around the Commonwealth for PFAS contamination, and has tentative plans to begin monitoring of other systems later this year. Although other states have already performed studies and developed their own PFAS limits, most of which are stricter than EPA’s current health advisory level of 7 parts per trillion for combined PFAS, DEP appears intent on performing its own independent studies and determining appropriate maximum contaminant levels rather than piggy-backing off of the work done by others.

Should PFAS be designated a hazardous substance under the Superfund program, that would allow federal agencies to clean up sites contaminated by PFAS. However, such a move would also signal potential liability exposure for manufacturers, distributors or others involved with PFAS. CERCLA is a very broad environmental liability statute which can potentially encompass current owners or operators of the facility, past owners or operators of a facility, generators and other parties that arranged for the disposal or transport of hazardous substances, as well as actual transporters of the substance. Therefore any company or entity that was in any way involved with the generation, transport, or ownership of property that is in any way connected to PFAS should begin to assess its potential liability in the event that PFAS becomes covered by CERCLA

Recently, Governor Wolf announced the approval of funding through Pennsylvania’s Commonwealth Financing Authority for projects that will remove PFAS from 17 wells in the Warminster/Horsham and Warrington areas of Bucks County, and New Jersey’s Department of Environmental Protection ordered five companies to pay for the contamination caused by PFAS in that state. Two days later, New Jersey sued DuPont and Chemours over PFAS-contaminated water and soil.

PFAS is fast becoming one of the hottest topics in environmental law, statewide and nationally.  Expect this trend to continue.

For more information about PFAS liability or exposure, please contact Paul J. Bruder at 717-232-5000, or pjbruder@mette.com.