SUMMARY
In the absence of binding federal standards for per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (“PFAS”) in soil, several states have started the process of regulating PFAS in soil themselves. These regulations have implications for site investigations as well as remediation decisions. This client alert explores the current landscape of state regulations regarding the guidance, notification, and clean up levels for PFAS – most commonly perfluorooctane sulfonic acid (“PFOS”) and perfluorooctanoic acid (”PFOA”) – in soil.
FEDERAL REGIONAL SCREENING LEVELS
The United States Protection Agency (“EPA”) has issued Regional Screening Levels (“RSLs”) for six PFAS substances. RSLs are advisory levels and are not legally binding, but both EPA and state agencies often use RSLs to investigate and characterize potential remediation sites.
RESIDENTIAL SOIL LEVEL (MG/KG)
0.13
INDUSTRIAL SOIL LEVEL (MG/KG)
1.6
RESIDENTIAL SOIL LEVEL (MG/KG)
0.19
INDUSTRIAL SOIL LEVEL (MG/KG)
2.5
RESIDENTIAL SOIL LEVEL (MG/KG)
0.23
INDUSTRIAL SOIL LEVEL (MG/KG)
3.5
RESIDENTIAL SOIL LEVEL (MG/KG)
19
INDUSTRIAL SOIL LEVEL (MG/KG)
2,500
RESIDENTIAL SOIL LEVEL (MG/KG)
1.3
INDUSTRIAL SOIL LEVEL (MG/KG)
16
RESIDENTIAL SOIL LEVEL (MG/KG)
0.19
INDUSTRIAL SOIL LEVEL (MG/KG)
2.5
STATE REGULATIONS
The information provided below is current as of July 24, 2023, but it is important to note that this is a developing regulatory space. For example, Florida and New Hampshire have enacted legislation which requires their environmental agencies to establish and/or revise soil regulations for various PFAS substances, but those new standards have not been issued, and other states are in the process of passing new laws on this topic, so the regulatory landscape will continue to change over the next several months.
CONCENTRATION LEVEL
PFOA and PFOS
- Arctic zone: 2.2 mg/kg
- Under 40 inch zone: 1.6 mg/kg
- Over 40 inch zone: 1.3 mg/kg
TYPE OF REGULATION
Clean up
INFORMATION
Regulation (See 18 AAC 75, Table B-1)
CONCENTRATION LEVEL
PFOA
-
Resident non-cancer hazard: .028 mg/kg
-
Commercial/industrial non-cancer hazard: .37 mg/kg
-
Construction worker non-cancer hazard: .086 mg/kg
PFOS
- Resident non-cancer hazard: .11 mg/kg
- Commercial/industrial nonconcern hazard: 1.5 mg/kg
- Construction worker non-cancer hazard: .34 mg/kg
Note: There are also cancer risk standards for all of these categories
TYPE OF REGULATION
Screening level advisory
INFORMATION
California water boards interim final environmental screening levels (see pg. 12)
CONCENTRATION LEVEL
PFOA + PFOS + PFNA + PFHxS + PFHpA = 1.35 mg/kg
TYPE OF REGULATION
Clean up
INFORMATION
Remediation standard regulations, residential direct exposure criteria (Table 2)
CONCENTRATION LEVEL
PFOS and PFOA: 1.3 mg/kg
TYPE OF REGULATION
Notification
INFORMATION
Hazardous Substance Cleanup Act Reporting Level table (see table, page 9)
CONCENTRATION LEVEL
PFOS and PFOA
- Residential: 1.3 mg/kg
- Commercial/industrial: 25 mg/kg
TYPE OF REGULATION
Screening level/advisory
INFORMATION
PFAS Dynamic Plan (see page 9) and related information
CONCENTRATION LEVEL
PFOS and PFOA
- .025 mg/kg
- 16 other substances (Hawaii has regulated soil concentrations for 16 additional PFAS compounds: PFDA (.0025 mg/kg); PFNA (.0028 mg/kg); PFUnDA (.0063 mg/kg); PFDoDA and PFTrDA (.0084 mg/kg); PFHxS (.012 mg/kg); PFHpS and PFDS (.013 mg/kg); PFOSA (.015 mg/kg); PFHpA (.025 mg/kg); PFTeDA (.084 mg/kg); HFPO-DA (.1 mg/kg); PFPeA (.51 mg/kg); PFHxA (2.5 mg/kg); PFBA (4.8 mg/kg); and PFBS (250 mg/kg))
TYPE OF REGULATION
Screening level/advisory
INFORMATION
Environmental Action Levels (see table A-1)
CONCENTRATION LEVEL
PFOS
PFOA and PFNA
PFHxS
PFBS
TYPE OF REGULATION
Screening level/advisory
INFORMATION
Standard exposure levels
CONCENTRATION LEVEL
PFOS
PFNA
PFHxS
PFBS
PFOA
PFHxA
PFBA
TYPE OF REGULATION
Screening level/advisory
INFORMATION
Statewide standards
CONCENTRATION LEVEL
PFOS and PFOA
PFBS
- Residential: 1,700 mg/kg
- Commercial worker: 22,000 mg/kg
- Construction worker: 51,000 mg/kg
Note: other standards are listed, such as leaching, park user, or recreator sediment
TYPE OF REGULATION
Screening level/advisory
INFORMATION
Remedial Action Guidelines (pg. 46)
CONCENTRATION LEVEL
- .3 mg/kg (stated in the regulation as .3 ppm)
- 6 PFAS substances combined: PFOA, PFOS, PFHxS, PFNA, PFHpA, and PFDA for SW-1
- Note: the concentration level depends on the soil classification designation
TYPE OF REGULATION
Clean up
INFORMATION
Regulation (see Table 5) and Mass DEP related information
CONCENTRATION LEVEL
PFOS
PFOA
TYPE OF REGULATION
Clean up
INFORMATION
Regulation
CONCENTRATION LEVEL
PFOS (stated in the blueprint in ng/g)
PFHxS
PFOA
- Residential: .24 mg/kg
- Non-residential: 3.2 mg/kg
PFBA
- Residential: 38 mg/kg
- Non-residential: 520 mg/kg
PFBS
- Residential: 57 mg/kg
- Non-residential: 77 mg/kg
TYPE OF REGULATION
Screening level/advisory
INFORMATION
PFAS Blueprint (see pgs. 180-182)
CONCENTRATION LEVEL
PFOA
-
Residential: .32 mg/kg
-
Industrial: 1.5 mg/kg
PFOS
-
Residential: 3.2 mg/kg
-
Industrial: 150 mg/kg
Note: This is for the Voluntary Cleanup Program only
TYPE OF REGULATION
Screening level/advisory
INFORMATION
Regulation (see table A-1)
CONCENTRATION LEVEL
PFOA:
- Residential: 2.35 mg/kg
- Indoor industrial/commercial worker: 70.1 mg/kg
- Outdoor industrial/commercial worker: 78.9 mg/kg
PFOS:
- Residential: 1.56 mg/kg
- Indoor industrial/commercial worker: 46.7 mg/kg
- Outdoor industrial/commercial worker: 26 mg/kg
PFBS
- Residential: 19 mg/kg
- Indoor industrial/commercial worker: 701 mg/kg
- Outdoor industrial/commercial worker: 274 mg/kg
TYPE OF REGULATION
Screening level/advisory
INFORMATION
Basic comparison levels
CONCENTRATION LEVEL
PFOS
- Residential: 0.1 mg/kg
- Non-residential: 0.6 mg/kg
PFHxS and PFNA
- Residential: 0.1 mg/kg
- Non-residential: 0.9 mg/kg
PFOA
- Residential: 0.2 mg/kg
- Non-residential: 1.3 mg/kg
TYPE OF REGULATION
Screening level/advisory
INFORMATION
Environmental Health Program direct contact risk-based soil concentrations
CONCENTRATION LEVEL
PFNA
- Residential: .047 mg/kg
- Non-residential: .67 mg/kg
PFOS
- Residential: .11 mg/kg
- Non-residential: 1.6 mg/kg
PFOA
- Residential: .13 mg/kg
- Non-residential: 1.8 mg/kg
GenX
- Residential: .23 mg/kg
- Non-residential: 3.9 mg/kg
TYPE OF REGULATION
Clean up
INFORMATION
Interim soil remediation standards and NJDEP related information
CONCENTRATION LEVEL
PFOS, PFOA, and PFHxS
- Residential: 1.56 mg/kg
- Industrial/occupational: 260 mg/kg
- Construction worker: 7.08 mg/kg
TYPE OF REGULATION
Screening level/advisory
INFORMATION
Soil Screening Guidance for Human Health Risk Assessments (see Table 5-3)
CONCENTRATION LEVEL
PFOA (stated in the document in ppb)
- Residential: .0066 mg/kg
- Commercial: .5 mg/kg
- Industrial: .6 mg/kg
PFOS
- Residential: .0088 mg/kg
- Commercial: .44 mg/kg
- Industrial: .44 mg/kg
TYPE OF REGULATION
Screening level/advisory
INFORMATION
New York Department of Environmental Conservation Sampling, Analysis, and Assessment of PFAS (see pg. 3)
CONCENTRATION LEVEL
PFOS
- Residential: .025 mg/kg
- Industrial: .33 mg/kg
PFHxS
- Residential: .25 mg/kg
- Industrial: 3.3 mg/kg
PFOA
- Residential: .038 mg/kg
- Industrial: .49 mg/kg
PFNA
- Residential: .038 mg/kg
- Industrial: .49 mg/kg
Ammonium perfluoro-2-methyl-3-oxahexanoate
- Residential: .038 mg/kg
- Industrial: .49 mg/kg
HFPO-DA (GenX)
- Residential: .047 mg/kg
- Industrial: .7 mg/kg
PFBS
- Residential: 3.8 mg/kg
- Industrial: 49 mg/kg
TYPE OF REGULATION
Screening level/advisory
INFORMATION
Preliminary Soil Remediation Goals
CONCENTRATION LEVEL
PFOA and PFOS
- Residential: 4.4 mg/kg
- Non-residential: 64 mg/kg
PFBS
- Residential: 66 mg/kg
- Non-residential: 960 mg/kg
TYPE OF REGULATION
Clean up
INFORMATION
Regulation and related information
CONCENTRATION LEVEL
PFOA
- .5 acre source area: .6 mg/kg
- 30 acre source area: .49 mg/kg
PFOS
- .5 acre source area: 1.5 mg/kg
- 30 acre source area: 1.5 mg/kg
- 16 different PFAS substances
- Residential soil limits (not commercial) in Texas are as follows: PFOSA: .5 acre source area -- .058 mg/kg and 30 acre source area: .031 mg/kg; PFHxS: .5 acre source area -- .25 mg/kg and 30 acre source area -- .24 mg/kg; PFPeA and PFHxA: .5 and 30 acre source area -- .25 mg/kg; PFTeDA: .5 and 30 acre source area -- .51 mg/kg; PFTrDA: .5 and 30 acre source area -- .61 mg/kg; PFNA: .5 acre source area -- .76 mg/kg and 30 acre source area: .73 mg/kg; PFDoA: .5 acre source area -- .79 mg/kg and 30 acre source area -- .78 mg/kg; PFDS and PFUnDA: .5 and 30 acre source area -- .8 mg/kg; PFDA: .5 acre source area -- .99 mg/kg and 30 acre source area -- .98 mg/kg; PFHpA: .5 and 30 acre source area – 1.5 mg/kg; PFBA: .5 acre source area -- 180 mg/kg and 30 acre source area -- 160 mg/kg; PFBS: .5 acre source area -- 860 mg/kg and 30 acre source area: 800 mg/kg.
TYPE OF REGULATION
Clean up
INFORMATION
Protective Concentration Levels, see March 2022 tier 1 PCL table; residential (table 1) and commercial (table 2)
CONCENTRATION LEVEL
PFOS, PFOA, PFHpA, PFHxS, PFNA
-
Residential: 1.22 mg/kg
- Non-residential: 14.36 mg/kg
TYPE OF REGULATION
Notification
INFORMATION
Investigation and Remediation of Contaminated Properties Rule (see Appendix A)
CONCENTRATION LEVEL
PFNA
PFOA
PFOS
HFPO-DA (GenX)
PFHxS
PFBS
TYPE OF REGULATION
Screening level/advisory
INFORMATION
Washington Department of Ecology Toxics Cleanup Program and related information
CONCENTRATION LEVEL
PFOA and PFOS
- Residential: 1.26 mg/kg
- Industrial: 16.4 mg/kg
TYPE OF REGULATION
Clean up
INFORMATION
No enacted PFAS soil regulations (as of the date of publication):
- Alabama
- Arizona
- Arkansas
- Colorado
- Georgia
- Idaho
- Illinois
- Kansas
- Kentucky
- Louisiana
- Maryland
- Mississippi
- Missouri
- Montana
- North Dakota
- Ohio
- Oklahoma
- Oregon
- Rhode Island
- South Carolina
- South Dakota
- Tennessee
- Utah
- Virginia
- West Virginia
- Wyoming
Key
Notification: A corporate representative must inform the appropriate state official that the soil concentration is above the stated limit.
Screening level/advisory: These levels are not binding limits, but they can serve as the basis for regulatory action, and are a useful tool for due diligence and risk assessment.
Clean up: Investigation and remediation is usually required when concentration levels exceed the clean up threshold. This is usually expressed by soil concentration standards that identify specific clean up criteria.
ANALYSIS
Perhaps the most remarkable thing about the different state regulations regarding PFAS in soil is the wide range of regulated concentration levels. For example, Iowa regulates PFOS at 0.00048 mg/kg, while Pennsylvania regulates PFOS at 4.4 mg/kg for residential (64 mg/kg for non-residential). Some of these discrepancies are as a result of the differing compounds being regulated; as a result, the following chart illustrates the discrepancies only in the concentration levels for PFOA and/or PFOS.
Notably, there are substantial differences in the regulatory concentrations (sometimes measured by orders of magnitude) for the same compounds across the different states. This variably presents obvious diligence and compliance challenges for businesses that buy, sell, and operate properties across the country, and which may need to engage with regulators on future site investigation and remediation projects.
CONCLUSION
Businesses operating in the states where soil regulations have been enacted should consider whether they currently use or discharge any of the regulated PFAS compounds into the soil, or have done so in the past. In addition, prospective purchasers of commercial and industrial properties in these jurisdictions will increasingly need to incorporate the soil contamination standards as part of their due diligence processes in order to underwrite the potential risk of future regulatory action.
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