North Carolina packaging and PFAS bills

What it would do: Requires state entities to purchase compostable or recyclable materials for food service, report annually on purchases and recycling, and directs the UNC Policy Collaboratory to study food service ware impacts and alternatives, with pilot programs to eliminate single-use food service ware.

What it would do: Authorizes the Secretary of Environmental Quality to order PFAS manufacturers to pay public water systems' costs for removing PFAS contamination when concentrations exceed EPA limits, and requires reimbursement of ratepayers from recovered funds. Appropriates $300,000 for implementation.

What it would do: Adds definitions to North Carolina's recycling statute for mass balance attribution, recycled products, and third-party certification systems related to advanced chemical recycling processes.

What it would do: Prohibits discharge of Class B firefighting foam containing intentionally added PFAS chemicals for training or practice purposes, and for testing purposes unless required by law and appropriate containment measures are implemented. Requires non-fluorinated training foams for firefighting training.

What it would do: Exempts qualifying menstruation products containing no intentionally added PFAS from state sales tax and directs the Department of Commerce to certify such products, with interim certification accepting products certified by nationally recognized independent testing laboratories.

What it would do: Establishes funding and regulatory programs to address PFAS and 1,4-dioxane contamination in North Carolina's water systems, including $56 million for mitigation grants, $14 million for research, $25 million for firefighter protection, drinking water standards, industrial discharge limits, and a moratorium on interbasin transfers from the Cape Fear River Basin through June 1, 2030.

What it would do: Prohibits manufacturing, using, and distributing PFAS and PFAS-containing products in North Carolina except those federally authorized, with civil penalties up to $5,000 or $25,000 for hazardous waste violations. Requires NPDES permit holders to eliminate PFAS and 1,4-dioxane from discharges and directs multiple state agencies to study PFAS contamination and impacts.

What it would do: Establishes extended producer responsibility for packaging manufacturers requiring reductions in non-reusable packaging and increased recycling rates and postconsumer waste content by specified deadlines. Bans certain toxic substances and intentionally added PFAS in packaging and food packaging materials.

What it would do: Prohibits distribution or sale of cosmetic products containing restricted substances (PFAS, heavy metals, parabens, phthalates, formaldehyde, benzophenones, carcinogens, asbestos, siloxanes, and others) as intentionally added chemicals in any amount, including nonfunctional by-products or contaminants above the practical quantification limit.

What it would do: Appropriates $56 million for PFAS mitigation grants to local water systems and $14 million for PFAS research. Establishes drinking water standards for six PFAS compounds and requires the Department to develop PFAS discharge limits for industrial users and treatment works by October 1, 2025.

What it would do: Requires food establishments and third-party delivery platforms to provide single-use foodware and standard condiments only upon consumer request, with exceptions for delivery safety items like cup lids and trays. Establishes enforcement by the Department with 60-day cure periods and penalties up to $100 per day.

What it would do: Requires the Commission for Public Health to commence rulemaking by October 15, 2025 to establish maximum contaminant levels for PFAS, PFOA, PFOS, hexavalent chromium, and 1,4-Dioxane, and to annually review science for establishing or revising contaminant levels.

What it would do: Requires a 10-cent deposit on beverage containers sold in North Carolina and establishes a system for consumers to redeem deposits at dealers and redemption centers, with performance standards requiring 80-95% redemption rates and 70-85% recycling rates for single-use containers by 2031.