PFAS Analysis and the Precautionary Principle: Scientific and Legal Implications of Varied Test Methods and Agency Guidance

In our latest episode, partner Joel Eagle interviews Gwendoline Caviness and Kristin Robrock of Exponent, a leading scientific and engineering consulting firm in the U.S., about the wide range of PFAS sampling and laboratory test methods that currently exist and the varied scientific and legal implications of different methods. From EPA Methods 537 and 1633, to the State of Hawaii Department of Health’s “Total PFAS Risk” approach, which combines standard EPA methods with the Total Oxidizable Precursor (TOP) Assay and Total Organic Fluorine (TOF) analysis, regulated entities are faced with a plethora of options. And with many agencies applying the “Precautionary Principle,” often leading to highly conservative regulations without scientific support, there is a lot to digest. Joel, Gwen and Kristin explore these issues and end with some predictions for the future of PFAS regulation in the new presidential administration.