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ARTICLE · 14 MARCH 2025

Canada's Final PFAS Report Is Here

McMillan LLP
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Earlier this month and after consultations launched in 2023 and 2024, the federal government published Canada's State of Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances Report and proposed Risk Management Approach for Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances, Excluding Fluoropolymers.

CanadaEnvironment
Talia Gordner
Talia Gordner
Martin Thiboutot
Martin Thiboutot
Ralph Cuervo-Lorens
Ralph Cuervo-Lorens
Sharon G.K. Singh
Sharon G.K. Singh
Claire Lingley
Claire Lingley
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Earlier this month and after consultations launched in 2023 and 2024, the federal government published Canada's State of Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) Report (the "Final Report") and proposed Risk Management Approach for Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS), Excluding Fluoropolymers (the "Risk Management Approach").

In the Final Report, the government concludes that PFAS should be placed on the toxic substances list under the Canadian Environmental Protection Act, 1999 ("CEPA"). Note that while the Final Report does not immediately ban any new PFAS, it may be the start of future restrictions.

Together, the Final Report and Risk Management Approach propose a precautionary, class-based approach to the regulation of PFAS in which regulatory measures would apply to all substances under the PFAS class rather than specific varieties of PFAS. The class-based approach acknowledges the challenges of regulating several thousand chemicals individually as

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The foregoing provides only an overview and does not constitute legal advice. Readers are cautioned against making any decisions based on this material alone. Rather, specific legal advice should be obtained.

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