When it comes to per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), regulations are important, but they’re not the whole story. Organizations are realizing that to stay competitive and protect their brand, PFAS strategies need to also be driven by market forces.
Here are six business-driven considerations you should be thinking about for effective PFAS risk management, identification, and mitigation.
1. Due diligence is complicated
Successor liability is creating unexpected risks in business transactions. Organizations acquiring properties or operations may inherit historical PFAS liabilities from decades ago before these substances were even on anyone's radar.
Smart buyers now include PFAS assessments in standard due diligence, examining everything from contaminated properties to worker exposure risks and supply chain vulnerabilities.
2. Employee health, safety, and well-being
As of April 2025, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) does not have enforceable exposure limits for PFAS, but fortunately, worker protection falls under existing general duty clauses. Organizations also recognize that protecting employees from harmful chemical exposure is both ethically right and good business.
Organizations are proactively addressing PFAS in workplace safety like any other chemical: through updated training programs, improved standard operating procedures, facility upgrades, and enhanced daily practices.
3. Suppliers don’t have the answers you need
Customer demands for PFAS transparency are outpacing supplier capabilities. Many suppliers simply don't have this information because they've never been required to track it.
To bridge this gap, organizations will need to invest in additional resources, including personnel, data management systems, and updated procurement processes, to ensure customer requirements are met and revenue streams are protected.
4. Insurance coverage is disappearing
Many insurers have implemented (or are considering) PFAS-specific exclusions, leaving organizations with significant self-insured exposure. To mitigate these risks or to seek better commercial terms in insurance policies in relation to PFAS coverage, organizations may look to voluntarily implement PFAS programs to eliminate or reduce PFAS in their operations and products.
5. Sustainability program considerations
An often overlooked aspect of PFAS impacts is their consideration in sustainability program implementation and tracking. Given their general persistence in the environment, reuse and recycling challenges may exist that can adversely impact corporate sustainability program goals.
For example, concerns over PFAS-contaminated waste may limit the number of recycling facilities willing to accept PFAS-laden waste streams. In turn, this can increase handling costs for an organization.
6. Brand reputation
Unlike many environmental contaminants, PFAS carry distinctive reputational characteristics that amplify risk:
- Bioaccumulation: The presence of PFAS in human blood samples creates a deeply personal connection to the issue.
- Ubiquity: Detection of PFAS in drinking water, food packaging, and everyday consumer products brings the issue directly into homes.
- Visibility: High-profile litigation, investigative journalism, and popular films have dramatically increased public awareness.
- Terminology: The “forever chemicals” moniker creates immediate emotional impact and recall.
These factors combine to create what reputation management experts term a “perfect storm” for brand damage: technically complex, emotionally resonant, and highly visible.
The path forward
Developing flexible PFAS risk management strategies that can adapt to changing regulatory winds while still addressing the very real concerns about these chemicals will be the only way to navigate this period of transition in PFAS knowledge, legal requirements, business impacts, and risk mitigation strategies.
