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ARTICLE · 21 JANUARY 2026

PFAS News For The New Year

Winston Taylor
Explore more from Winston Taylor

As 2026 gets underway, the PFAS regulatory landscape remains active at both the federal and state levels. Recent developments related to the scope of PFAS liability, PFAS reporting, and water quality regulation are poised to shape compliance strategies and risk allocation for the year ahead.

United StatesEnvironment
Madeline Barone
Madeline Barone
Madalyn Brown Feiger
Madalyn Brown Feiger

As 2026 gets underway, the PFAS regulatory landscape remains active at both the federal and state levels. Recent developments related to the scope of PFAS liability, PFAS reporting, and water quality regulation are poised to shape compliance strategies and risk allocation for the year ahead. The updates below highlight key areas to watch this year.

Congress Weighs CERCLA Relief for "Passive Receivers"

Congress continues to explore how to address PFAS liability for entities that receive PFAS inadvertently through normal operations—such as drinking water and wastewater systems, landfills, and certain waste handlers—following EPA's 2024 designation of PFOA and PFOS as hazardous substances under CERCLA. On December 18, the House Energy & Commerce Environment Subcommittee held a hearing, "Examining the Impact of EPA's CERCLA Designation for Two PFAS Chemistries and Potential Policy Responses to Superfund Liability Concerns." During the hearing, the committee reviewed

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