Maine PFAS Products Bill Most Far-Reaching To Date

August 18, 2021

Read the full article by Joh Gardella (The National Law Review)

"On July 15, 2021, Maine passed what was touted as the most aggressive PFAS bill related to products thus far in the country. While true that the Maine PFAS products bill is the most far-reaching PFAS bill in the United States to date in terms of the scope of products impacted by the legislation, it is also important to note that the bill will not completely curtail PFAS products sales in Maine. In fact, a closer look at the language in the bill shows that some over-broad or vague terms may provide companies with opportunities to permissibly continue selling PFAS-containing products within Maine. Nevertheless, it is critical for companies to immediately assess the impact of the Maine PFAS products bill on corporate practices, compliance with the language in the bill, and make decisions regarding continued use of PFAS in products, as opposed to substituting for other substances. At the same time, companies impacted by the Maine PFAS legislation must be aware that the bill poses risks to the companies involvement in PFAS litigation in both the short and long term."