EPA publishes revised Lifetime Health Advisory Limits (HALs) for PFAS Compounds

EPA established the current Lifetime Health Advisory Limits (HALs) of 70ppt for PFOA and PFOS in 2016. Those limits were intended to provide a margin of protection to a lifetime of exposure to PFOA and PFOS from drinking water. Since that time, a number of states have adopted more conservative limits for these two compounds in drinking water. The EPA HALs also serve as the basis for EPA’s preliminary remediation goals (PRG) for contaminated groundwater that is a current or potential source of drinking water.

In November of 2021 the EPA submitted updated health assessments for PFOA and PFOS to the Science Advisory Board (SAB) for peer review. As part of the proposed rulemaking process, EPA prepared these documents to support the development of a Maximum Contaminant Level Goal (MCLG) and National Primary Drinking Water Regulation (NPDWR) for PFOA and PFOS. The SAB has completed their review and provided the EPA Administrator with a draft report of their findings. Until such time, if the new proposed levels are accepted for the establishment of an MCLG, these documents will provide updates to the existing Health Advisory Limits for drinking water and preliminary remediation goals (PRGs)

As of June 15, 2022, the EPA has published revised Interim Health Advisories for PFOA and PFOS, along with new Health Advisories for PFBS and HFPO-DA (GenX). These limits are indicated in the table below.