Minnesota Governor Tim Walz signed into law the ban in the U.S. on per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in certain products as part of the broadest PFAS policy package in the country.
Minnesota’s new law combines approaches from several existing state laws that have adopted restrictions on PFAS in specific products, as well as with the approach from a Maine law that requires product manufacturers to disclose the presence of PFAS.
The new law bans the sale and distribution of certain products that contain intentionally added PFAS beginning in 2025, including new carpets, rugs, cleaning products, cookware, cosmetics, dental floss, fabric treatments, juvenile products, menstruation products, textile furnishings, ski wax, or upholstered furniture. It will ban PFAS in all products for public health by 2032, unless the authority has determined by rule that the use of PFAS in the product is a currently unavoidable use.
The law also requires manufacturers of products containing intentionally added PFAS to notify the authority beginning January 1, 2026, the following information:
a brief description of the product, including a universal product code (UPC), stock keeping unit (SKU), or other numeric code assigned to the product;
the purpose for which PFAS are used in the product, including in any product components;
the amount of each PFAS, identified by its chemical abstracts service registry number, in the product, reported as an exact quantity determined using commercially available analytical methods or as falling within a range approved for reporting purposes by the commissioner;
the name and address of the manufacturer and the name, address, and phone number of a contact person for the manufacturer; and
any additional information requested by the authority.
The law does not apply to:
a product for which federal law governs the presence of PFAS in the product in a manner that preempts state authority;
a product regulated under section 325F.072 or 325F.075, namely firefighting foam and food packaging for which state law already restricts PFAS content; or
the sale or resale of a used product.
