On June 15, 2026, the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) formally adopted regulations setting site remediation standards for PFAS compounds including PFNA, PFOA, PFOS, and GenX. This finalizes interim rules put in place since 2022–2023 which proposed cleanup standards for these compounds in soil and groundwater.
The four PFAS compounds are heavily linked to industrial and commercial applications due to their resistance to water, oil, heat, and countless chemical reactions. However, these and other so-called “forever chemicals” have become increasingly linked to cancer and other dangerous health effects in recent years. In October 2022 and June 2023, the DEP set health-based interim standards for three exposure pathways – ingestion-dermal exposure, migration to groundwater, and inhalation exposure, which have now been adopted. Of note, the soil leachate standards for the migration to groundwater pathway only apply to residential properties.
Specifically, the new remediation standards are as follows:
|
|
Ingestion-Dermal |
Migration to Groundwater |
Groundwater |
||
|
Contaminant |
Residential (mg/kg or ppm) |
Non-Residential (mg/kg or ppm) |
Soil (mg/kg or ppm |
Soil Leachate (µg/L or ppb) |
(µg/L or ppb) |
|
PFOA |
0.13 |
1.8 |
Site-Specific |
0.28 |
0.014 |
|
PFOS |
0.11 |
1.6 |
Site-Specific |
0.26 |
0.013 |
|
PFNA |
0.047 |
0.67 |
Site-Specific |
0.26 |
0.013 |
|
HFPO-DA (Gen-X) |
0.23 |
3.9 |
Site-Specific |
0.40 |
0.02 |
In addition, the DEP is amending the Technical Requirements for Site Remediation to add PFNA, PFOS, PFOA, GenX chemicals, and 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD) to the required analytical parameters. These analyses will be required when contaminants at a site are unknown or not well documented.
For additional information regarding the new standards or how these changes may apply to your property, please contact Connell Foley’s Environmental Law Group.
The authors acknowledge the valuable research and drafting assistance provided by Chris Werkley, 1L Summer Intern.
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