The Environmental Protection Agency has its sights set on so-called “forever chemicals.” The EPA is ordering several chemical companies, including 3M, to test on various per- and polyfluoroalkyl (PFAS) substances, through the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA).

Specifically, the agency is requiring companies to submit testing on trifluoro (trifluoromethyl) oxirane (HFPO), a perfluoroalkyl substance used in making plastics. This is the EPA’s second test order related to PFAS; the first back in June 2022 was for a chemical used in commercial firefighting foam.

PFAS are often referred to as forever chemicals because they don’t break down in the environment. They’re used in a spectrum of products, from firefighting foams to carpets, shampoos, mascara and some grease-resistant paper. They’re often used in durable water-repellent (DWR) coating on various performance fabrics to give them water- and stain-resistant properties.

“PFAS can pose a serious risk to communities, especially those overburdened with pollution, but many of these chemicals have limited or no toxicity data,” said Michael Freedhoff, assistant administrator for the Office of Chemical Safety and Pollution Prevention. “That’s why we’re working quickly to establish stronger, more robust data on PFAS to better understand and ultimately reduce the potential risks.”

The EPA says testing data will help it better understand the human health effects of HFPO and dozens of other PFAS that are structurally similar to it. HFPO is used in making plastics and in organic chemical manufacturing – more than 1 million pounds of the substance are made each year, according to the agency. After examining existing hazard and exposure data, the EPA says it has concluded that HFPO may present an unreasonable risk of injury to health or the environment, with potential hazards including neurotoxicity, reproductive effects and cancer.

Chemours, DuPont and 3M, parent company of Top 40 promotional products supplier 3M/Promotional Markets (asi/91240), are the companies the EPA reached out to for the HFPO test order. The EPA noted that it contacted the companies prior to issuing the test order to encourage them to voluntarily submit existing data on HFPO to the EPA. In December, 3M announced that it would stop manufacturing and using PFAS chemicals across its product portfolio by the end of 2025.

In addition to announcing the test order, the EPA released new PFAS analytic tools on its website, providing information to help the public, researchers and other stakeholders better understand potential PFAS sources in their communities. The tools bring together multiple sources of information with mapping, charting and filtering functions, allowing people to see where testing has been done and what level of detections were measured.

PFAS chemicals can contaminate water sources and build up in fish and wildlife. Research has linked exposure to certain PFAS with various health problems, including types of cancer and thyroid disease, according to the EPA.

Momentum has been building to address the potential harms and reduce the use of PFAS in various products. New York and California both recently banned the chemicals in apparel. And a recent Maine law requires manufacturers to report the presence of intentionally added PFAS chemicals to products they seek to sell or distribute in the state.

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