DoD Extends Deadline for AFFF Ban by a Year
On July 31, 2025, the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) invoked its second one-year waiver of the prohibition of the use of aqueous film-forming foam (AFFF) for both installation infrastructure and mobile firefighting equipment, extending the deadline for compliance to October 1, 2026. This is the second and final waiver allowed under Section 322(e) of the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for fiscal year 2020.
The DoD has acknowledged challenges in transitioning to PFAS-free alternatives such as fluorine-free foam (F3) or water-only systems and emphasized that the waiver is necessary to maintain “operational availability of sufficient firefighting systems” and “ensure a safe transition of the approximately 1,000 facilities and over 6,000 mobile assets.”
Senate Appropriations Committee Requests Increase in PFAS Cleanup Budget
On July 31, 2025, the U.S. Senate Committee on Appropriations increased the Fiscal Year (FY) 2026 Defense Appropriations Act budget request for environmental restoration by $135 million, from $273 million to $408 million. The Committee recommended the increase in funding “to provide sustained, consistent levels of funding to support PFAS cleanup, aqueous film-forming foam replacement, and other related activities.” The request for additional funds is distributed among the service branches as follows: $57.5 million to the Air Force, $53.5 million to the Army, $14 million to the Navy, and $10 million to the Air National Guard.
USEPA PFAS Drinking Water Regulation Case Proceeds
On August 7, 2025, the District of Columbia Circuit directed USEPA and other parties to file motions to govern future proceedings in the PFAS National Primary Drinking Water Regulation (NPDWR) litigation (UCSA Case #24-1188 and consolidated cases) by September 10, 2025. The motion comes after the case was removed from abeyance, following the previous granting of four stays over the past seven months. The case challenges PFAS regulations issued by USEPA in April 2024 that set maximum contaminant levels for six PFAS in drinking water. Previously, USEPA had requested stays to allow incoming leadership additional time to become familiar with the regulation and associated case.
FDA Supports Use of Fluoropolymers in Medical Devices
On August 6, 2025, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) released an update to its PFAS in Medical Devices webpage. The update clarifies that PFAS used as components in many medical devices are fluoropolymers (e.g., polytetrafluoroethylene [PTFE]), which the FDA states “are part of the PFAS family and have been safely used for decades.” The agency states there is currently no reason to restrict their ongoing use in medical devices and notes these materials are integral to critical device functions, such as lubricating minimally invasive delivery systems, providing electrical insulation for pacemaker leads, and ensuring long-term biostability. The FDA states it will continue to monitor and update its webpage as appropriate.
Illinois Bans the Sale of Certain Products Containing PFAS and Restricts Sale of Firefighting PPE Containing PFAS
On August 15, 2025, Illinois Governor Jay Robert Pritzker signed two bills on PFAS into law. HB2516 bans the sale and distribution of cosmetics, dental floss, juvenile products, menstrual products, and intimate apparel containing intentionally added PFAS effective January 1, 2032. HB2409 establishes the following restrictions on firefighting personal protective clothing and equipment sales, effective on the following dates:
- January 1, 2026: for products containing PFAS, sellers must provide a written notice to purchasers at the time of sale stating the product contains PFAS and the reason PFAS were added
- January 1, 2027: firefighting personal protective clothing containing intentionally added PFAS may not be manufactured, sold, or distributed
- January 1, 3030: auxiliary firefighting personal protective equipment containing intentionally added PFAS may not be manufactured, sold, or distributed.
New Jersey Reaches $2 Billion Settlement with DuPont in PFAS Cleanup Litigation
On August 4, 2025, the State of New Jersey announced it had reached a settlement valued at over two billion dollars with DuPont, Chemours, and Corteva. The settlement addressed PFAS at four industrial sites in New Jersey: Chambers Works, Pompton Lakes, Parlin, and Repauno. The settlement includes a $1.2 billion remediation funding reserve for full site cleanup, an $875 million payment over 25 years to a state fund for restoring natural resources and aiding affected communities, and a $475 million reserve to protect taxpayers if the companies default. The settlement will be published to the New Jersey Register in early September and go to the district court for approval, following a 60-day public comment period.
EHCA Updates PFAS Restriction Proposal
On August 20, 2025, the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) published an update on its 2023 proposal to restrict the use of approximately 10,000 PFAS in the European Union (EU). The initial proposal received over 5,600 comments that were evaluated by ECHA and national authorities, including Denmark, Germany, the Netherlands, Norway, and Sweden. Significant updates to the proposal include conducting “assessments for eight sectors that were not specifically named in the initial proposal” and considering “alternative restriction options, beyond a full ban or ban with time-limited derogations for certain applications.”
Updates will be reviewed by ECHA’s scientific committees for Risk Assessment and for Socio-Economic Analysis; however, “the European Commission will ultimately decide on the restriction in consultation with the EU Member States.” ECHA also announced that it aims to complete its scientific evaluation of the proposed EU-wide restriction on PFAS by the end of 2026.
Geosyntec PFAS Webinar Series
Geosyntec hosted a PFAS webinar series showcasing a thorough synthesis of the state of knowledge on the management of PFAS-impacted sites. Subject matter experts from Geosyntec and the broader stakeholder community discussed key PFAS technical, regulatory, and legal issues.
To view webinar recordings of this six-part PFAS series as well as other archived PFAS webinars, visit Geosyntec PFAS Webinar Series.
Questions?
If you have any questions or would like to discuss how PFAS may impact your business, please email pfas@geosyntec.com to be connected with one of our PFAS technical experts.
