Environment Canada’s State of PFAS Report: insights into the future regulation of “forever chemicals”

June 8, 2023

Read the full article by McMillan LLP

"The Government of Canada has published its long anticipated Draft state of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) report (the “Draft State of PFAS Report”) and a companion document, Risk management scope for the class of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) (the “Risk Management Report”).[1] The report arises from the Federal Government’s 2021 announcement to research and monitor PFAS substances, collect and examine information on PFAS substances, and review policy developments in other jurisdictions.[2]

PFAS substances continue to attract global attention for their potential harm to human health and the environment. Commonly known as “forever chemicals”, PFAS are a group of several thousand man-made chemicals that break down at a very slow rate and have the ability to bio-accumulate. Due to their widespread use, PFAS are commonly found in the bloodstream of people as well as animals.[3]

In the past decade, regulators around the world have taken steps to slow or eliminate the use of PFAS in consumer and industrial products.[4] While the regulation of PFAS in Canada has yet to catch up with other jurisdictions such as the United States and the European Union, the publication of the Draft State of PFAS Report marks a good step toward the development of additional PFAS regulations in Canada."