- within Litigation and Mediation & Arbitration topic(s)
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced on April 28, 2026, the availability of an update to the April 16, 2024, interim guidance on the destruction and disposal of perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) and materials containing PFAS for public comment. 91 Fed. Reg. 22815. According to EPA, the updated guidance “builds on information pertaining to technologies that may be feasible and appropriate for the destruction or disposal of PFAS and PFAS-containing materials.” As required by the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2020 (FY 20 NDAA), the interim guidance addresses PFAS and PFAS-containing materials, including: solid, liquid, or gas waste streams containing PFAS from facilities manufacturing or using PFAS; aqueous film-forming foam (for firefighting); soil and biosolids; textiles, other than consumer goods, treated with PFAS; spent water treatment materials; and landfill leachate containing PFAS. EPA states in its April 23, 2026, press release that the updated guidance recommends technologies with the lowest potential for releasing PFAS to the environment based on site-specific conditions, “including three existing technologies that stand out for having lower potential for environmental release of PFAS than other technologies”:
- Using Class I underground injection wells for long-term waste storage;
- Disposing PFAS in Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) regulated hazardous waste landfills; and
- Using hazardous waste combustors that operate under specific conditions to destroy PFAS and minimize harmful byproducts and air emissions.
According to the press release, EPA and other government, academic, and private sector institutions “are working simultaneously to advance innovation, develop new technologies and methods, and better understand PFAS destruction.” To support these developments, the updated guidance also includes a new technology evaluation framework to assess the safety and effectiveness of emerging tools. EPA states that in support of its “commitment to unparalleled transparency, the agency encourages technology developers and researchers to generate and publicly release data consistent with the principles of gold-standard science.” Comments are due June 29, 2026.
The content of this article is intended to provide a general guide to the subject matter. Specialist advice should be sought about your specific circumstances.
[View Source]
