The Rhode Island General Assembly approved Senate Bill 2799 on June 11, 2026, proposing amendments to the Consumer PFAS Ban Act of 2024 (R.I. Gen. Laws § 23-18.18). Key amendments include: (1) clarifying enforcement provisions for the Department of Environmental Management (DEM); (2) authorizing DEM to join a multijurisdictional clearinghouse to assist in administering PFAS product compliance; and (3) granting DEM authority to issue exemptions for certain products. The bill awaits the Governor's signature. Existing product prohibition deadlines remain in effect, including the January 1, 2027 ban on cookware, cosmetics, carpets, fabric treatments, juvenile products, menstrual products, ski wax, textile articles, and firefighting personal protective equipment containing intentionally added PFAS.
Governor McKee signed legislation (2025-S 0241, 2025-H 5019) on June 16, 2025 prohibiting the manufacture, sale, or distribution of firefighting personal protective equipment (FPPE) containing intentionally added PFAS in Rhode Island. The law covers gloves, helmets, jackets, pants, respiratory equipment, and shoes worn by firefighting personnel. Manufacturers selling FPPE must provide written notice at time of sale if equipment contains PFAS. This expands upon the 2024 Consumer PFAS Ban Act which addressed Class B firefighting foam.
Rhode Island has enacted the Consumer PFAS Ban Act (R.I. Gen. Laws § 23-18.18) establishing phased prohibitions on intentionally added PFAS in consumer products. Class B firefighting foam prohibition took effect January 1, 2025. Effective January 1, 2027: carpets/rugs, cookware, cosmetics, fabric treatments, juvenile products, menstrual products, ski wax, textile articles, and firefighting PPE are prohibited. Effective January 1, 2029: artificial turf and outdoor apparel for severe wet conditions are prohibited (outdoor apparel may be sold with 'Made with PFAS chemicals' disclosure). Manufacturers and sellers must retain compliance documentation for at least three years.
Governor McKee approved legislation (2025-H 5844A, 2025-S 0650A) requiring anyone applying for a permit to spread biosolids on land as fertilizer to first test the material for PFAS contamination. Quarterly testing is required for all permit holders, with results reported to the Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management. First reports are due December 31, 2025.
The Rhode Island Department of Health (RIDOH) Center for Drinking Water Quality published a fact sheet providing general information about recently promulgated state drinking water regulations concerning PFAS. The document also highlights available funding through the EPA Emerging Contaminants in Small or Disadvantaged Communities (EC-SDC) Grant Program to address PFAS in drinking water. This guidance helps public water systems understand their compliance obligations under the new PFAS standards.
Rhode Island enacted the Consumer PFAS Ban Act of 2024 (Chapter 23-18.18), establishing phased sales prohibitions on products containing intentionally added PFAS. Class B firefighting foam restrictions began January 1, 2025. Starting January 1, 2026, restrictions apply to carpets/rugs, fabric treatments, cleaning products, cookware, cosmetics, and other consumer products. Additional categories including firefighting personnel protective equipment (FPPE), ski wax, upholstered furniture, and bedding are prohibited from January 1, 2027. Artificial turf and outdoor apparel for severe wet conditions are prohibited from January 1, 2029. Manufacturers, distributors, and retailers must ensure products sold in Rhode Island comply with the applicable phase-in dates.
The Rhode Island PFAS in Drinking Water, Groundwater, and Surface Waters Act (R.I. Gen. Laws § 46-32-1 et seq.) was passed in 2022 and amended in 2023. The Act requires public water systems to monitor for six specific PFAS substances (PFOA, PFOS, PFHxS, PFNA, PFHpA, and PFDA) with an interim state standard of 20 parts per trillion (ppt) total for the six PFAS. Public water systems were required to complete initial sampling by July 1, 2023. Systems exceeding the interim standard entered into Consent Agreements with the Rhode Island Department of Health (RIDOH) and must take action to reduce PFAS levels. Regular ongoing testing is required for all public water systems in Rhode Island.