On Jan. 3, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) added nine additional per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) to the list of chemicals covered by the Toxics Release Inventory (TRI).

The nine PFAS are ammonium perfluorodecanoate, sodium perfluorodecanoate, perfluoro-3-methoxypropanoic acid, fluorotelomer sulfonate acid, fluorotelomer sulfonate anion, fluorotelomer sulfonate potassium salt, fluorotelomer sulfonate ammonium salt and fluorotelomer sulfonate sodium salt. 

These nine PFAS were added to the TRI list pursuant to the 2020 National Defense Authorization Act, which provides the framework for the automatic addition of PFAS to TRI each year in response to specified EPA activities involving such PFAS. Reporting is required for these nine additional PFAS with reporting forms due by July 1, 2026, according to the EPA. This brings the total number of PFAS subject to TRI reporting to 205.

“EPA continues to make strides in getting information on PFAS into the Toxics Release Inventory so the public can see if these chemicals are being released into their communities,” said Assistant Administrator for the Office of Chemical Safety and Pollution Prevention Michal Freedhoff. “People have a right to know when facilities in their backyards are releasing toxic chemicals into the environment and with today’s action, we are providing important information about nine more.”

As of Jan. 1, facilities that are subject to reporting requirements for these chemicals should begin tracking their activities involving these PFAS as required by Section 313 of the Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act, according to the EPA. 

These nine newly added PFAS, along with the previous 196 TRI-listed PFAS, are also subject to EPA’s action in October 2023 to classify all PFAS subject to TRI reporting as chemicals of special concern. Among other impacts, this removes the use of a reporting exemption that allowed facilities to avoid reporting information on PFAS when those chemicals were used in small concentrations.