PFAS Identification, Testing and Management Services

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are under increasing scrutiny due to their persistence in products, manufacturing processes and the environment. Regulatory requirements are evolving along with public perception and an understanding of the long-term health effects and risks associated with these “forever chemicals.”

The PFAS classification encompasses roughly 10,000 substances, highlighting the scope of regulatory and management challenges facing leaders across many industries, including materials and component manufacturing and retail.

UL Solutions helps brand owners, manufacturers, suppliers and retailers navigate evolving regulations with testing, certification and advisory services and software to support the development of safer products and stronger market trust.

Understanding PFAS regulations

The versatility and number of these substances have led to their use in consumer goods, including textiles, cosmetics and kitchenware, and industrial applications in electronics, air emission filters and medical devices. However, the release of PFAS into the environment through production processes, landfill leachate and the use of aqueous film-forming firefighting foams, along with their staying power, raises significant concerns.

To mitigate the effects of PFAS, many jurisdictions have adopted legislation and regulations addressing a range of applications. With definitions and standards varying across jurisdictions, remaining compliant and proactive still requires an investment of resources. UL Solutions delivers extensive expertise and a wide-reaching global footprint to help you address these challenges, understand the regulations surrounding use and demonstrate compliance to regulatory bodies and customers.

How UL Solutions supports PFAS risk management

A multifaceted strategy is required for ongoing compliance. UL Solutions provides services, software and insights that help you meet requirements, improve quality and operational performance, and further your sustainability goals.

• Chemical review and inventory – Gain a comprehensive risk assessment to identify where PFAS are used in materials or as part of the manufacturing process.
• Awareness of regulation developments – Understand how standards and regulations are evolving across jurisdictions and materials, and how changes may impact operations and supply chain management.
• Materials testing – Pursue physical testing of materials to detect PFAS content. This includes testing to ULE 2884, the Standard for the Environmental Claim Validation Procedure for Substance Content Claims.
• PFAS compliance and certification - Determine the compliance of your products against applicable regulations and standards.
• Exploration of alternative materials – Identify and transition to PFAS-free options, helping you to minimize regulatory risk and environmental impact.
• Supply chain transparency – Establish open communication with all stakeholders, including consumers, regulatory bodies and supply chain partners, to enable collaboration.
• Ongoing monitoring – Conduct rigorous environmental and health impact assessments to guide responsible decision-making and product stewardship today and into the future.

Addressing PFAS in consumer products and materials

UL Solutions helps brand owners, manufacturers, suppliers and retailers identify the best testing and communications strategies for PFAS compliance across the supply chain. We offer a portfolio of chemical management and advisory services to help you navigate PFAS regulations and mitigate compliance risks related to textiles, food packaging, cosmetics, electronics and many other products and materials.

UL 746G, the Outline of Investigation for Non-Fluorine and Non-PFAS Containing Materials, helps support the ongoing market demand for non-PFAS materials. The methodology for evaluating PFAS in virgin and recycled plastic materials establishes a clear path of sample and test requirements based on material type. UL Solutions also designed the Yellow Card™ Plastics Recognition Program, a certification program that tests plastic materials for common PFAS compounds and fluorine. Finally, an environmental claim validation (ECV) to UL 2884, Environmental Claim Validation Procedure for Substance Content Claims, validates that products do not contain detectable levels of defined PFAS chemicals.

PFAS compliance for brand owners, manufacturers, retailers and supply chain partners

Brand owners, manufacturers, retailers and their supply chain partners must provide the best products possible, and part of those efforts involve establishing testing and communication strategies that meet market needs. UL Solutions can help you navigate regulations and mitigate risks with our broad portfolio of chemical management and advisory services.

We can help support the development of a Restricted Substance List (RSL) for organizations in any industry, provide training to help teams stay ahead of regulatory changes and upcoming PFAS restrictions, and provide testing for consumer products. Differing approaches to PFAS restrictions by the European Union (EU) and the United States (U.S.), along with the lack of a standardized list of PFAS for testing, can be challenging. UL Solutions helps ease the process.

Advanced software for chemical compliance and PFAS management

Organizations in every industry must maintain an awareness of their products, processes and partners to achieve ongoing compliance. Component and material suppliers are expected to understand what is in their supply chains, and brand owners, manufacturers and retailers must know the chemical makeup of the materials and products they purchase. This understanding is required to minimize risks associated with selling products containing restricted substances, including damage to brand reputation and potential financial losses.

WERCSmart® Retail Product Compliance,WERCS Studio Data and Compliance Management, ChemADVISOR® Chemical Regulatory Database and Supply Chain Network are essential parts of the ULTRUS™ software portfolio from UL Solutions. This software portfolio helps customers gather chemical data and bills of material to support more informed product selection and prioritize testing.

Additionally, UL Solutions offers a specialized PFAS content enhancement package that complements our industry-leading chemical and material data management software. Our configurable, end-to-end software empowers you to systematically collect product data, store it securely and assess it against the latest restricted substance regulations.

With support from UL Solutions, your organization can navigate PFAS compliance from many angles, helping you bring safer products to the market.