TRENTON, N.J. — The New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection has formally adopted site remediation standards for four PFAS compounds, making permanent cleanup requirements that have been in place on an interim basis since 2022 and 2023.
The regulations establish remediation standards for PFNA, PFOA, PFOS and GenX, chemicals commonly known as PFAS, or “forever chemicals,” due to their persistence in the environment.
State officials said the action strengthens New Jersey’s efforts to address contamination linked to the chemicals, which have been used for decades in industrial and consumer products and have been associated with a variety of health concerns.
“With the formal adoption of these site remediation standards, the Sherrill Administration is delivering on its mission to protect public health, provide clean drinking water to the public, and restore the environment from decades of PFAS pollution across the state,” Department of Environmental Protection Acting Commissioner Ed Potosnak said. “Even as we see wavering at the federal level, New Jersey remains firm in its commitment to strong science, policies and regulations to address the legacy of PFAS pollution.”
PFAS compounds have been used in products such as stain-resistant fabrics, water-resistant clothing, food packaging and certain firefighting foams. According to the DEP, exposure to specific PFAS chemicals has been linked to decreased birth weight, weakened immune response, liver damage, elevated cholesterol levels and increased cancer risk.
Under the adopted regulations, parties responsible for contaminated sites must ensure PFAS contamination is investigated and remediated to protect public health, drinking water supplies and the environment.
The rule also amends technical site remediation requirements to require testing for PFNA, PFOS, PFOA, GenX chemicals and 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin when contaminants at a site are unknown or poorly documented.
New Jersey has been a national leader in regulating PFAS contamination. The state became the first in the nation to establish an enforceable drinking water standard for PFNA in 2018 and later adopted standards for PFOA and PFOS in 2020.
The DEP said the new regulations will help hold polluters accountable while improving drinking water protections and safeguarding natural resources.
The standards are part of the state’s broader PFAS Forever No More Strategy, which combines scientific research, regulation and enforcement efforts aimed at reducing PFAS contamination throughout New Jersey.
