US - California Prohibits PFAS in Textiles

​The California's governor signed the bill AB 1817 into law on September 29 prohibiting the per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in textiles.

The new requirements would prohibit, beginning January 1, 2025, any person from manufacturing, distributing, selling, or offering for sale in the state any new textile articles that contain regulated PFAS with a concentration of 100 ppm or above and the limits will be lowered to <50 ppm on January 1, 2027. Furthermore, it also requires a manufacturer to use the least toxic alternative when removing regulated PFAS in textile articles.

Textile articles means textile goods used in households and businesses, and include, but not limited to, apparel, accessories, handbags, backpacks, draperies, shower curtains, furnishings, upholstery, beddings, towels, napkins, and tablecloths. However, it does not include single-use paper hygiene products, e.g. toilet paper, paper towels or tissues, or single-use absorbent hygiene products.

​It further restricts PFAS in outdoor apparel for severe wet conditions on January 1, 2028. However, it should be properly labelled with the statement "Made with PFAS chemicals" from January 1, 2025.