Attorney General Jeff Jackson Opposes Rollback of PFAS Protections

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Monday, December 29, 2025
Contact: [email protected]
919-538-2809

RALEIGH - Attorney General Jeff Jackson is opposing a rollback of data collection and reporting about PFAS forever chemicals. Just months away from receiving data from PFAS manufacturers about the type and amount of PFAS chemicals in their products, EPA is now trying to hide the use of PFAS from the public.

"North Carolinians should be able to get straightforward information about how much and what kinds of PFAS are in the products we buy," said Attorney General Jeff Jackson. "The EPA shouldn't be helping companies hide what kinds of toxic chemicals they're using. We know what PFAS damage looks like in North Carolina, and we need these companies to be more responsible."

PFAS are a group of thousands of manmade chemicals that have been used in numerous consumer products since the 1940s, including clothing, non-stick cookware, food packaging, and car seats and strollers. Some manufacturers spent decades hiding that their PFAS were toxic and contaminated human blood. State and federal regulators are still uncovering the chemicals in our everyday household items. PFAS are known to cause harms including increased risk of kidney, breast, pancreas, prostate, and testicular cancers, liver damage, decreased birth weight and birth defects, decreased vaccine response, high cholesterol, and infertility.

In 2019, under the Trump administration, Congress passed the Toxic Substances Control Act and mandated reporting about PFAS. To follow the law, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency put together a rule that asked manufacturers and importers of PFAS to report whatever information they already knew about the PFAS in their products. This includes information about the types and amounts of PFAS chemicals manufactured, any known effects on human health or the environment, and how many workers are exposed to these chemicals.

Now, the EPA is carving out exceptions for the businesses that have to report PFAS levels so that nearly 98 percent of businesses wouldn't need to report. In their comment letter, the attorneys general oppose this move and urge EPA to preserve the integrity of the rule and to begin collecting PFAS data without further delay.

Attorney General Jackson is currently working to hold accountable the companies responsible for PFAS contamination in North Carolina. The office has filed lawsuits against DuPont and Chemours for PFAS contamination to natural resources and drinking water in the Cape Fear River Basin and its communities, as well as six additional lawsuits against 14 companies that manufacture AFFF, a fire suppressant used by first responders that contains PFAS.

Joining Attorney General Jackson in opposing the changes are the attorneys general of California, Connecticut, Hawaii, Illinois, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, New Jersey, New York, Oregon, Rhode Island, Washington and Wisconsin.

A copy of the comments are available here.

###