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Section 2

Global PFAS Regulations

How Countries Are Responding to the Forever Chemicals Crisis

Section 2

Global PFAS Regulations: How Countries Are Responding to the PFAS Crisis

Understanding the Global PFAS Regulation Landscape

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are now one of the world’s most pressing environmental and public-health challenges. These “forever chemicals”, as they are known by, have been used for decades in manufacturing, firefighting foams, textiles, and food packaging — but their persistence means they contaminate soil, groundwater, and drinking water worldwide.

Governments are rapidly tightening thresholds for PFAS in air, water, and soil, forcing industries to adapt to an evolving regulatory landscape. The sections below provides a global snapshot of how PFAS regulations are changing — and what they mean for asset owners, industries, and policymakers.

PFAS Drinking Water Regulations Around the World

United States

In 2024, the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) issued legally enforceable Maximum Contaminant Levels (MCLs) for PFAS. The most widely known compounds — PFOS and PFOA — were limited to 4 ng/L, a standard stricter than nearly anywhere else in the world.

Other PFAS like PFHxS, PFNA, and HFPO-DA are capped at 10 ng/L, and the EPA introduced a “hazard index” to account for mixtures of multiple PFAS compounds. However, in May 2025, the EPA announced plans to reconsider some of these standards, citing the need for further risk review — though limits for PFOS and PFOA will remain.

This represents a monumental drop from the 2016 advisory level of 70 ng/L, highlighting how far regulations have tightened based on new health evidence.

Canada [1]

Health Canada released an updated PFAS drinking water objective of 30 ng/L for the combined sum of 25 PFAS in August 2024 — one of the most comprehensive national limits worldwide.

China [2]

China’s 2022 national standards set individual limits of 40 ng/L for PFOS and 80 ng/L for PFOA in drinking water.

European Union [3]

The EU Drinking Water Directive (DWD) came into force in 2021 and requires member states to limit the sum of 20 PFAS to 100 ng/L and the total PFAS concentration to 500 ng/L. Implementation across Europe is ongoing through 2026, though some countries like Denmark (2 ng/L) and Sweden (4 ng/L) have already adopted much stricter thresholds.

The Netherlands recommends 4.4 ng/L for PFOS, PFOA, PFHxS, and PFNA combined, while Germany has set an interim value of 20 ng/L for these same four compounds from 2028.

United Kingdom

Although no statutory PFAS standards yet exist in England and Wales, the Drinking Water Inspectorate (DWI) issued guidance in March 2025 requiring utilities to monitor 48 PFAS compounds, applying a 100 ng/L limit for their combined concentration.

PFAS in Surface Water: Tightening Environmental Protection

To protect aquatic ecosystems, the US EPA introduced new Freshwater and Saltwater Aquatic Life Criteria in 2024 under the Clean Water Act, setting a chronic threshold of 0.25 µg/L for PFOS and 100 µg/L for PFOA.

The EU Water Framework Directive (WFD) designates PFOS as a priority hazardous substance, requiring member states to meet Environmental Quality Standards (EQS) as low as 0.00065 µg/L in inland waters and 0.00013 µg/L in coastal waters.

Elsewhere:

Norway has EQSs for PFOA at 9.1 µg/L in freshwater and 91 µg/kg in biota.
Italy has established a 0.1 µg/L standard for PFOA in surface water.
Canada, Australia, and New Zealand have issued varying PFAS water quality criteria ranging from 0.00023 µg/L to 31 µg/L, depending on the ecosystem type.

These limits demonstrate the growing global consensus that PFAS pollution threatens both human and ecological health — even at trace levels.

PFAS in Soil and Biosolids

PFAS contamination isn’t limited to water; it also accumulates in soil and sewage sludge used for agriculture.

In Canada [4], biosolids sold as fertilizers must contain less than 50 µg/kg PFOS, while soil quality guidelines set 10 µg/kg for PFOS to protect potable groundwater.
Sweden has set soil limits of 3 µg/kg for sensitive land and 20 µg/kg for non-sensitive uses.
The Netherlands restricts soil application of PFOS, PFOA, and HFPO-DA under its risk management framework.
Denmark mandates limits of 400 µg/kg for the sum of 22 PFAS, and 10 µg/kg for the four most studied compounds (PFOS, PFOA, PFHxS, PFNA).
Australia’s PFAS National Environmental Management Plan (NEMP 3.0) provides soil and biosolid guideline values that vary by state, with Queensland setting trigger levels as low as 1 µg/kg for PFOS.

These standards are guiding regulators and industries toward stricter control of PFAS-laden materials, particularly in agricultural reuse and waste management.

PFAS in Groundwater

Groundwater contamination by PFAS has emerged as a critical global issue.

The EPA includes PFAS in its Regional Screening Levels (RSLs) for groundwater protection.
In Canada, the CCME sets PFOS limits of 600 ng/L for human health protection and 7,000 ng/L for ecological receptors.
Italy limits PFOS and PFOA in groundwater to 30 ng/L and 500 ng/L, respectively.
Germany enforces a 100 ng/L guideline for both PFOS and PFOA, with health advisory levels for six other PFAS.

Despite regional differences, one pattern is clear: the number of regulated PFAS compounds is increasing while the allowable limits are decreasing — signalling a new era of environmental accountability.

The Global Trend: Stricter Standards and Broader Scope

Across the world, two clear trends define PFAS regulation in 2025:

Expanding Scope – More PFAS compounds are being added to regulatory frameworks each year.
Tightening Limits – Threshold values are becoming increasingly stringent as new science emerges.

Upcoming developments include:

Proposed EU standards for the sum of 24 PFAS in surface and groundwater.
A final EPA sewage sludge risk assessment for PFOS and PFOA, expected after August 2025.
Australia’s NHMRC updates to national drinking water guidelines, introducing stricter PFOS, PFOA, and PFHxS limits and new inclusion of PFBS.

These evolving frameworks reflect the global determination to confront the PFAS crisis head-on.

Key Takeaways

PFAS regulation is accelerating worldwide, with drinking water limits dropping to parts per trillion.
Governments are adopting a “class-based” approach, expanding control beyond individual compounds.
Industries must act now to assess their exposure, implement monitoring programs, and engage with evolving standards.
Collaboration between regulators, scientists, and industry is essential to develop practical solutions for PFAS removal and prevention.

Updated: 5 December 2025

Section bibliography

[1]https://www.canada.ca/en/health-canada/services/chemical-substances/other-chemical-substances-interest/per-polyfluoroalkyl-substances.html%26sa%3DD%26source%3Ddocs%26ust%3D1764929938612649%26usg%3DAOvVaw3WkWzdjbQ6_EXfZP-1C6Dm&sa=D&source=docs&ust=1764930010918056&usg=AOvVaw3JUONbefZiGehj8EoyDtcG

[2]https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC12421654/%23:~:text%3DConventional%2520water%2520treatment%2520processes%2520fail,regulatory%2520framework%2520for%2520PFAS%2520management&sa=D&source=docs&ust=1764930114581540&usg=AOvVaw39zo4HlJLicVKyT8arhxsq

[3]https://environment.ec.europa.eu/topics/water/drinking-water_en&sa=D&source=docs&ust=1764930150901766&usg=AOvVaw1rGiVmZEBUpcxJCcfkcF9P

[4]https://inspection.canada.ca/en/plant-health/fertilizers/trade-memoranda/t-4-132-commercial-biosolids&sa=D&source=docs&ust=1764930444964704&usg=AOvVaw1zxcpjE6tAyGxT7O7cSlKc