Course Description:
State regulations limiting or banning fluorinated chemistries in certain consumer products have created new product stewardship challenges for manufacturers. In 2021 alone, over 30 bills related to fluorinated chemistries were signed or enacted across the U.S., impacting specific types of food packaging, residential carpets, cosmetics, and juvenile products. Many of these bills also restrict fluorinated chemistries based on total organic fluorine (TOF) content. Yet there currently are no TOF testing methodologies issued by the Environmental Protection Agency or consensus standards organizations, and few commercial laboratories have the capability to conduct such analyses. The recent fluorinated chemistry listing to California's Safe Drinking Water and Toxic Enforcement Act ('Proposition 65') includes a broad range of fluorinated chemistries for which chemical reference standards are not currently available. Further, due to supply chain complexities, regulated fluorinated chemicals can be present in consumer products, albeit unintentionally and from unknown sources. This presentation will help stakeholders understand the impact of recently enacted and proposed fluorinated chemical regulations and provide information to support product stewardship objectives.

Contact Hours:
1 Contact Hour

Presentation Date:
10/18/2022

Presenters:
Andrew Worthen
Kasia Grzebyk
Sara Hearon