NEWMOA Releases Draft PFAS Prevention Model Act

In recent months, state legislatures have introduced numerous regulations restricting the sale of consumer products containing per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) and adopting legal drinking water standards for the compounds. These regulations follow studies highlighting harm to humans and the wildlife posed by these "forever chemicals," which are known for their environmental persistence and years-long degradation process. State PFAS laws have varied in stringency, particularly in the Northeast, where Maine, Vermont, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New York, and Rhode Island, like many other states, have passed or proposed PFAS legislation.

On May 2, 2023, the Northeast Waste Management Officials' Association, Inc. (NEWMOA)¹ released its the Draft PFAS Prevention Model Act ("Draft Model"). The Draft Model offers a uniform but flexible package or "menu" of policy options for state policy makers to consider to address PFAS contamination and exposure. Among