Washington, D.C. (October 20, 2025) - Per- and
polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), often referred to as
"forever chemicals" because of their persistence in the
environment, are attracting increased attention from federal and
state regulators, private litigants, and parties contemplating
business transactions. But with a huge variety of PFAS compounds in
play and an uncoordinated pattern of regulatory requirements, the
legal framework in this area is complicated, presenting significant
challenges for many market participants.
Background and Current Legal Landscape
PFAS are a group of 3,000 to 10,000 synthetic,
fluorine-containing chemical compounds that have long been valued
for their water-, grease-, heat-resistant, and other properties in
a number of everyday consumer and industrial products. Introduced
in the 1940s, concerns about adverse effects of PFAS on human
health and the environment have become a major issue in more recent
years, although uncertainties
