EPA Designates PFOA and PFOS as Hazardous Substances Under CERCLA
The EPA finalized a rule designating PFOA and PFOS as hazardous substances under CERCLA (Superfund), affecting cleanup obligations for contaminated sites. The rule addresses industrial contamination, not consumer cookware.
What Happened
In May 2024, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) finalized a rule designating perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and perfluorooctanesulfonic acid (PFOS), including their salts and structural isomers, as hazardous substances under the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA), also known as Superfund.
The designation means that entities responsible for contamination of these substances may be required to clean up contaminated sites and may be liable for the costs of remediation.
Why It Matters
The CERCLA designation is a significant regulatory step that increases accountability for PFOA and PFOS contamination. It primarily affects industrial sites, manufacturers, and parties responsible for environmental contamination.
The rule does not ban PFOA or PFOS in consumer products, but it increases the regulatory and financial consequences of environmental contamination involving these substances.
What It Means for Cookware
This rule does not directly regulate cookware. PFOA and PFOS have been largely phased out of cookware coatings in the United States since around 2015, when manufacturers voluntarily agreed to eliminate PFOA from PTFE production.
The CERCLA designation addresses environmental contamination from industrial use of PFOA and PFOS, not consumer use of cookware.
What Is Still Unclear
The rule's enforcement focuses on significant contamination sites, not individual consumers. The EPA has stated that it does not intend to pursue individual consumers.
The broader regulatory landscape for PFAS in consumer products continues to evolve at both federal and state levels.
Titan's Take
This rule addresses environmental contamination from industrial PFAS use, not consumer cookware. PFOA has been phased out of PTFE coating production since around 2015. For an overview of cookware safety, see our guide.