Several US states have introduced new senate bills in 2026 aimed at tightening controls on per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in consumer products, including packaging, textiles, cookware and cleaning goods. For the packaging industry, the proposals signal expanding compliance obligations, product bans and registration requirements that vary by jurisdiction.
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PFAS, often called “forever chemicals,” have faced growing scrutiny due to their persistence in the environment and links to adverse health effects. While federal action continues to evolve, states are moving ahead with their own product-specific bans, reporting systems, and phase-out timelines.
Expanding Patchwork of State Regulation
Over the past several years, states such as California, Colorado, Maine, New York, and Washington have adopted measures restricting PFAS in specific product categories, including food packaging and textiles.
In early 2026, additional bills were introduced in Maryland, Massachusetts, Missouri, and New York that would further expand prohibitions and introduce registration and notification systems. While details differ, most proposals target products containing intentionally added PFAS and, in some cases, materials identified through total organic fluorine testing.
For packaging manufacturers and brand owners operating nationally, the result is an increasingly complex compliance landscape.
Maryland: Registration and Phased Prohibitions
In Maryland, Senate Bill 686 would require regulators to define “currently unavoidable uses” (CUUs) of PFAS by January 2027. Beginning in 2028, manufacturers of products containing intentionally added PFAS, including those qualifying as CUUs, would need to register those products with the state’s Department of the Environment.
The bill also proposes a phased ban approach. By 2028, intentionally added PFAS would be prohibited in cleaning products, cookware, cosmetics, personal care items, feminine hygiene products, certain juvenile products, and pet food packaging and packaging components. Additional categories, including textiles, upholstered furniture, paints, and ski waxes, would follow in 2029.
Products with intentionally added PFAS could face broader prohibitions unless properly registered.
Massachusetts: Public Reporting Platform and Long-Term Phase-Out
Massachusetts Bill H4870 outlines a public reporting system for products containing intentionally added PFAS. By mid-2028, manufacturers would be required to submit product data to a publicly accessible platform.
Food packaging containing intentionally added PFAS would be prohibited starting in 2028. Priority product categories, such as cookware, children’s products, textiles, rugs, personal care products, and upholstered furniture, would face bans beginning in 2029.
Looking further ahead, the proposal would prohibit PFAS in additional identified consumer products by 2035 unless the use is deemed currently unavoidable and granted a temporary exemption, subject to periodic review.
For packaging suppliers, the public disclosure requirement could increase transparency obligations and expose formulations to greater scrutiny.
Missouri: Manufacturer Notification and 2027 Product Bans
Missouri’s House Bill 2400 focuses on notification and prohibition. Manufacturers would be required to inform the Department of Natural Resources if their products contain intentionally added PFAS before January 2027.
Starting that same year, intentionally added PFAS would be banned in a range of goods, including carpets, cleaning products, cookware, cosmetics, dental floss, fabric treatments, juvenile products, menstruation products, textile furnishings, ski waxes, and upholstered furniture. Certain electronic or internal components would be exempt.
New York: Broader Definition of Regulated PFAS
In New York, companion bills S9073A and A7738A propose prohibiting “regulated PFAS” in architectural paints, cleaning products, cookware, dental floss, rugs, ski waxes, and textile articles beginning in 2028.
Notably, the term “regulated PFAS” would include both intentionally added substances and PFAS detected as total organic fluorine above levels to be set by regulation. This broader definition may have implications for packaging materials and coatings where trace contamination or processing residues are present.
Implications for the Packaging Industry
For packaging converters, resin suppliers and brand owners, these state-level actions reinforce several trends:
- Increased demand for detailed material declarations and chemical inventories
- Expanded product testing, including total organic fluorine screening
- Greater need for supplier audits and documentation
- Potential reformulation of coatings, barriers, and grease-resistant treatments
Food packaging remains a key focus area, but the inclusion of textiles, furnishings, and personal care packaging components shows that regulators are casting a wide net.
Companies operating across multiple states may need to adopt the most stringent standard as a baseline to manage risk and avoid fragmented product lines.
Conclusion
The wave of PFAS bills introduced in 2026 underscores the accelerating shift toward state-led chemical regulation in the United States. With phased bans, public reporting platforms and evolving definitions of regulated substances, compliance is becoming more complex and more transparent. For the packaging industry, proactive supply chain assessment, material innovation and regulatory monitoring will be essential as states continue to tighten controls on PFAS in consumer and packaging applications.
