Minnesota Passes Legislation Requiring Reporting on Intentionally Added PFAS

This June, Minnesota became the latest state to pass legislation that will require manufacturers to report intentionally added PFAS in consumer products. It also bans intentionally added PFAS in certain product categories. The legislation will require manufacturers with intentionally added PFAS in consumer products to report the following information to the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (“MPCA”):

  • A brief description of the product, including a universal product code (UPC), stock-keeping unit (SKU), or other numeric code assigned to the product.
  • The purpose for which PFAS are used in the product, including in any product components.
  • The amount of each PFAS, identified by its Chemical Abstracts Service Registry Number (CASRN), in the product, reported as an exact quantity determined using commercially available analytical methods or as falling within a range approved for reporting purposes by MPCA.
  • The name and address of the manufacturer and the name, address, and phone number of a contact person for the manufacturer.
  • Any additional information requested by the commissioner as necessary.

Manufacturers will need to submit this information to MPCA on or before January 1, 2026. Furthermore, manufacturers must then receive approval from the Agency before they can sell, offer for sale, or distribute products at issue for sale within the state.

If MPCA does not receive this information and believes a product contains intentionally added PFAS, the Agency can mandate the manufacturer of the product to conduct testing for PFAS. If product testing reveals there are no intentionally added PFAS in the product, the manufacturer must submit a certificate of compliance to MPCA attesting to this fact and including the supporting testing results and any other relevant information. If testing confirms there are intentionally added PFAS in the product, the manufacturer must provide testing results and additional information outlined in the legislation to the Agency.

The legislation bans intentionally added PFAS in a number of products. Such products include:

  • Carpets and rugs
  • Fabric treatments
  • Textile furnishings
  • Upholstered furniture
  • Cleaning products
  • Cookware
  • Cosmetics
  • Dental floss
  • Menstrual products
  • Children’s products
  • Ski wax

The bans on these products will have staggered effective dates between January 1, 2025, and January 1, 2032. The legislation does caveat that MPCA will permit the sale of products with intentionally added PFAS only in instances where the commissioner has determined there is a currently unavoidable use. Product categories that fall under a currently unavoidable use are not detailed in the legislation, but it does specifically state that none of the above product categories are eligible for a currently unavoidable use exemption.