Addressing PFAS in Procurement

Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) are widely used, long lasting chemicals. Scientific studies have shown that exposure to some PFAS in the environment may be linked to harmful health effects in humans and animals. There are thousands of PFAS chemicals, and they are found in many different consumer, commercial, and industrial products. Even though recent efforts to remove certain PFAS from commerce have reduced the likelihood of exposure, some household products and indoor air or dust may still contain PFAS. Learn more about PFAS at EPA.

Consistent with section 208 of Executive Order 14057 and its Implementing Instructions, section I.G of OMB Memo 22-06, and the Federal Sustainability Plan, agencies should prioritize substitutes for products that contain PFAS and to the maximum extent practicable and consistent with statutory mandates, agencies should avoid the procurement of any PFAS-containing covered items.

EPA’s Recommendations of Specifications, Standards and Ecolabels help purchasers identify and use private sector and federal environmental performance standards and ecolabels within federal procurement to help them meet various sustainability goals and requirements, such as avoiding the procurement of any PFAS-containing covered items.The Recommendations are organized in an interactive table to help users identify standards/ecolabels by product category and explore how key environmental hotspots like PFAS and plastics are addressed. Click the PFAS Criteria box above the interactive table to add columns to the table to display how each standard/ecolabel addresses these topics.

SFTool Product Search is a curated database of environmentally preferable products that reflects more than 4,500+ Brands, 20 Ecolabels and certifications and over 300,000 products that align with GSA’s Green Procurement Compilation. Products listed in the database have met one or more environmental purchasing programs applicable to federal procurement.

SFTool Product Search simplifies market research, documentation and reporting by capturing, organizing and displaying product specifications, energy and water performance, and other critical sustainability data from multiple sources and ecolabels in one place. Available filters identify low-embodied carbon products, products with recycled content and those that meet EPA’s new standards on PFAS.

To use GSA’s SFTool Product Search to identify products that address PFAS, select the “PFAS Addressed” filter box located under “Additional High Performance Filters”.