H.R. 8016
Forever Chemical Regulation and Accountability Act of 2026
Official summary
Written by the Congressional Research Service.
Forever Chemical Regulation and Accountability Act of 2026
This bill phases out the release and nonessential use of perfluoroalkyl or polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) and addresses PFAS research, remediation, regulation, and enforcement.
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) must require each manufacturer and user of PFAS to submit annual reports that include specified information about the essential (e.g., critical for health or safety reasons) and nonessential uses of PFAS by such entities. Not later than 10 years after the enactment of this bill, manufacturers and users must fully phase out nonessential uses of PFAS.
The bill also
- establishes specified deadlines to phase out the sale of certain products containing PFAS;
- requires federal agencies, to the maximum extent practicable, to eliminate the procurement of products known to contain PFAS;
- imposes a 10-year phaseout of the release of PFAS above a certain threshold of detection;
- provides enforcement authority to the EPA regarding violations of the requirements of the bill, including through civil and criminal penalties;
- allows citizen suits against manufacturers and users of PFAS and the EPA; and
- addresses actions under state law related to damages from exposure to hazardous substances, including with regard to statutes of repose.
The bill exempts from a bankruptcy petition’s automatic stay any proceeding against a non-debtor entity (e.g., a proceeding to obtain property from a non-debtor) with respect to a PBT claim (a claim relating to persistent, bioaccumulative, and toxic chemicals) against the non-debtor entity, the debtor, or the estate.
Text of the bill
I Phaseout of nonessential perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances and all releases
(a) In general. For the purpose of determining whether a person is in violation of this title or for the purposes of carrying out any provision of this title—
(1) the Administrator may require any manufacturer, user, person who manufactures equipment for a manufacturer or user, person who the Administrator believes may have information necessary for the purposes described in this paragraph, or person who is subject to the requirements of this title, on a 1-time, periodic, or continuous basis—
(A) to install, use, and maintain such monitoring equipment, and use such audit procedures or methods, as the Administrator may require;
(B) to sample such releases (in accordance with such procedures or methods, at such locations, at such intervals, during such periods, and in such manner as determined by the Administrator) as the Administrator may require;
(C) to keep such records on control equipment parameters, production variables, or other equivalent indirect data as the Administrator may require when direct monitoring of releases is impractical;
(D) to provide such other information as the Administrator may require; and
(E) to provide records and reports within 30 days of the date of a request by the Administrator for that record or report; and
(2) the Administrator (including an authorized representative of the Administrator), on presentation of the credentials of the Administrator (or authorized representative of the Administrator) shall—
(A) have a right of entry to, on, or through any premises of the person or any premises in which any records required to be maintained under paragraph (1) are located; and
(B) at reasonable times, have a right to access and copy any records, to inspect any monitoring equipment or method required under paragraph (1), and to sample any releases that the person is required to sample under that paragraph.
(b) Public availability. Any record, report, or information obtained by the Administrator under subsection (a) shall, subject to section 14 of the Toxic Substances Control Act (15 U.S.C. 2613), be made available to the public as soon as reasonably practicable.
II Other matters with respect to perfluoroalkyl or polyfluoroalkyl substances