EPA Research Partner Support Story: Improved Understanding of the Current Science regarding PFAS

Partner: Interstate Technology and Regulatory Council (ITRC)
Challenge: Need for improved understanding of the current science regarding PFAS
Resource: Technical resources including fact sheets, a web-based technical and regulatory guidance document, and online training materials
Project Period: 2017 – Present 

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are a large and complex class of anthropogenic compounds whose prevalence in the environment are an emerging, worldwide priority in environmental and human health. Some PFAS are environmentally persistent and bioaccumulative and may pose human health risks. There is a growing need for regulators, project managers, and other stakeholders to improve their understanding of the current science regarding PFAS.

“As ITRC PFAS Team members, EPA staff continue to contribute valuable input and guidance to support the Team mission of developing materials that can be used by decision makers to address environmental challenges associated with PFAS contamination.” – New Jersey DEP Sandra Goodrow and Vermont DEC Kristi Herzer (ITRC PFAS Team Leads)

 The ITRC PFAS Team, formed in 2017, has prepared readily accessible materials to present PFAS information to stakeholders, regulators, and policy makers. The PFAS Team represents a diverse cross-section of expertise and experience working on PFAS. In 2025, the team membership includes more than 130 active state, city and local representatives. State participation, including interested parties, comes from 40 states and the District of Columbia. The team membership also includes representatives from the federal government, academia, public and tribal stakeholders, consulting, industry, and international governments. EPA scientists participate on the team, providing their technical expertise, collaborating through discussions and meetings, and by providing written comments on draft ITRC PFAS materials. EPA has shared knowledge of emerging issues and research in a variety of topic areas, which is incorporated into many document sections: sampling and analysis; site characterization, fate and transport; occurrence in the environment; chemistry and naming conventions; physical and chemical properties; history and use; aqueous film-forming foam (AFFF); treatment; toxicity and risk assessment; and regulations and guidance. These materials can be used to foster development of a broad technical understanding necessary for informed and expedited decisions to address PFAS impacts to human health and the environment. The ITRC PFAS technical resource materials include:

• A series of fact sheets , last updated in September 2023, that synthesize key information for core subjects including fate and transport, sampling precautions, analytical methods and more. These fact sheets have also been posted in Spanish and Portuguese.
• A web-based technical and regulatory guidance document first published in 2020 presents a wide range of technical topics for PFAS, provides references to scientific literature and state and federal documents, and includes stakeholder points of view, technical challenges and uncertainties, and risk communication strategies. The document was last updated in 2023. ITRC is continuing to develop new content to reflect the rapidly evolving science and regulatory approaches for PFAS and plans to publish the new content in December 2025 including an expansive section on sorption-based technologies and focused sections on emerging topics of concern to the ITRC community.
• External Data Tables that compile key information on focused topics, including the PFAS Environmental Media Values Table Excel File (updated quarterly), the Aquatic Organism BAF table, and many others.  
• Online training materials that convey the information presented in the technical and regulatory guidance document, including introductory and advanced-level training developed in 2024, roundtable sessions presented in 2020-2021, and a video series developed in 2019. Live training and workshops, online and in-person, continue to be held.  Archived trainings are also available on EPA CLU-IN.