What the New PFAS Limits Reveal About Compliance in 2025

On May 14, 2025, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced significant changes to federal regulations on per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in drinking water. The agency will maintain strict limits for two of the most common “forever chemicals”—PFOA and PFOS—but will rescind limits for four others: GenX, PFHxS, PFNA, and PFBS. Additionally, the compliance deadline for PFOA and PFOS has been extended from 2029 to 2031.

“We are on a path to uphold the agency’s nationwide standards to protect Americans from PFOA and PFOS in their water. At the same time, we will work to provide common-sense flexibility in the form of additional time for compliance. This will support water systems across the country, including small systems in rural communities, as they work to address these contaminants.”

–U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Lee Zeldin

PFAS are synthetic chemicals widely used in various industries and consumer products due to their resistance to heat, water, and oil. However, their persistence in the environment and the human body has raised health concerns, including links to cancer, liver damage, and developmental issues.

The previous administration had set enforceable limits on six PFAS compounds in drinking water, aiming to reduce exposure for millions of Americans. The current rollback introduces uncertainty for compliance teams, waste generators, and environmental service providers.

Why This Matters for Compliance and Operations

Regulatory shifts like the one announced on May 14 don’t just make headlines—they directly impact how organizations plan, invest, and operate. For environmental managers, water utilities, manufacturers, and sustainability officers, the rollback of four PFAS limits introduces ambiguity at a time when many were already midstream in planning for full compliance.

Compliance Isn’t Optional—Even If Enforcement Is Delayed

Even though the limits for GenX, PFHxS, PFNA, and PFBS are being rescinded, organizations that discharge or manage PFAS-contaminated water and waste aren’t off the hook. Many states, such as California, New York, and Michigan, have already implemented their own PFAS standards, often more stringent than federal guidance. In these states, companies may still be held accountable for the same four chemicals the EPA is no longer regulating—meaning you could remain liable under local laws even if federal rules relax.

Additionally, under the Biden-era rules, companies were required to test water for six PFAS compounds and notify the public if levels exceeded thresholds. While the Trump administration’s plan pauses or removes some of those federal requirements, litigation from states and environmental groups is expected, and legal challenges may still force enforcement or restitution.

Waste Management and Recordkeeping Are Under Scrutiny

Even without firm federal limits, PFAS disposal is increasingly coming under the microscope. Facilities handling PFAS-contaminated media—such as biosolids, filters, soil, or PPE—are expected to manage these as hazardous constituents under RCRA. Disposal practices may also face scrutiny under Clean Water Act permits, particularly if PFAS enters wastewater systems or impacts industrial wastewater treatment operations.

For industrial generators and environmental service providers, this means a few key things:

• You need detailed documentation of PFAS-containing waste streams, including type, volume, treatment method, and final disposal facility.
• Treatment and disposal vendors should be audited to ensure they’re up to date on evolving standards and best practices for PFAS containment and destruction.
• Your data needs to be defensible, especially as more PFAS litigation targets manufacturers and downstream waste handlers.

Cost Planning Just Got More Complicated

By maintaining limits on PFOA and PFOS but rolling back others, the EPA has effectively fragmented the PFAS regulatory landscape. This creates uncertainty for budgeting and infrastructure investments. For instance, utilities that had budgeted for reverse osmosis or granular activated carbon systems designed to filter all six PFAS chemicals may now have to re-run cost-benefit models—and explain those changes to stakeholders or ratepayers.

Some municipalities are pausing upgrades, while others are moving forward under the assumption that stricter rules—or lawsuits—are inevitable. Meanwhile, private sector companies handling PFAS-laden materials need to forecast potential liability and factor PFAS tracking into their long-term ESG reporting.

How Waste Generators Can Stay Ahead

Even as federal PFAS rules shift, one thing remains clear: the burden of managing these chemicals is increasingly falling on generators, not just regulators. Whether you’re an industrial manufacturer, a utility, or a service provider, proactive steps today can prevent major liabilities—and costs—tomorrow.

1. Don’t Wait for the Rules to Catch Up

While the EPA has rescinded limits for four PFAS compounds, many states are continuing to enforce their own standards, and litigation from regulators and private citizens is accelerating. In other words, even if federal enforcement is paused, legal and reputational risks are not.

Companies should adopt a risk management mindset, asking:

• Where are PFAS present in our operations?
• Are we currently tracking waste streams with known or suspected PFAS content?
• Do we have defensible documentation for how these wastes are stored, treated, and disposed?

If the answer to any of these is unclear, it’s time to prioritize visibility—before someone else demands it.

2. Implement a PFAS Inventory

The first step to managing PFAS is knowing where they exist. Waste generators should work with suppliers, purchasing teams, and EH&S personnel to compile a list of all materials that may contain or generate PFAS compounds. This includes:

• Firefighting foam (AFFF)
• Industrial cleaners and degreasers
• Coated packaging and textiles
• PPE treated for water or stain resistance
• Residues from manufacturing processes

An inventory doesn’t have to be perfect on day one—but starting with what’s known and building from there is critical. Wastebits’ platform supports centralized data collection and reporting, helping your teams track and tag PFAS-related materials across locations and timeframes.

3. Choose Treatment and Disposal Partners Carefully

Waste generators should vet their transporters and disposal partners to ensure that PFAS-containing materials are managed responsibly. This includes:

• Verifying whether the facility has a plan for PFAS treatment or destruction (e.g., high-temperature incineration, carbon capture, or other advanced technologies)
• Reviewing how PFAS is tracked in manifests and shipping records
• Ensuring disposal facilities can provide documentation and certifications of destruction or containment

Don’t assume your downstream vendors are equipped for PFAS unless they can show you how.

4. Integrate PFAS into Your ESG and Compliance Strategies

Many organizations have already embedded PFAS reduction goals into their ESG (Environmental, Social, Governance) reporting frameworks. If your company is publishing sustainability reports, disclosing risk to investors, or managing compliance at the enterprise level, you’ll need a system to manage PFAS data as rigorously as other regulated materials.

The Wastebits platform enables secure, cloud-based tracking of hazardous and non-hazardous waste streams—including PFAS—across facilities, vendors, and time periods. This helps environmental managers produce on-demand reporting for regulators, investors, and internal stakeholders alike.

What Comes Next—and How Wastebits Can Help

The EPA’s decision to uphold some PFAS limits while walking back others is the latest chapter in what’s becoming a long and complex regulatory story. As rules shift and timelines extend, one thing remains constant: PFAS are still in our environment, our supply chains, and our waste streams—and the scrutiny surrounding them isn’t going away.

For waste generators, the smartest move is to assume accountability now, regardless of regulatory delays. States are continuing to act. Lawsuits are mounting. And infrastructure investments—whether for water filtration or PFAS destruction—require long lead times and careful planning.

At Wastebits, we help industrial manufacturers, utilities, and environmental service providers stay ahead of the curve with:

• Centralized tracking for hazardous and PFAS-containing waste streams
• Custom reporting and analytics to meet local, state, and federal compliance
• Audit-ready documentation for legal protection and ESG reporting
• Trusted partnerships with vendors and disposal facilities prepared for PFAS

Whether you’re just beginning your PFAS inventory or already deep into remediation planning, we provide the software tools and expertise to bring clarity, compliance, and control to your waste operations.

Let’s face it—PFAS management isn’t optional anymore. But with the right tools, it doesn’t have to be overwhelming either.

Contact us to see how Wastebits can support your PFAS strategy, streamline your compliance, and future-proof your waste operations.