While Amara’s Law and other Minnesota prohibitions on PFAS use in products apply to new products available for purchase, countless other products containing PFAS remain in use and will someday reach the end of their useful life.
These prohibitions do not prevent households or businesses from using or disposing of products that may contain PFAS. The enduring nature of PFAS in the environment, however, makes it important to give special consideration to products containing PFAS when it comes time to throw them out.
Households
The MPCA recommends managing household products containing PFAS as shown in the lists below. Do not dispose of any liquid household products in the sewer, household toilets, or household drains. Contact your county’s household hazardous waste collection program or solid waste department for hours and materials accepted.
Normal solid waste
- Carpets/Rugs
- Cookware
- Cosmetics and personal care products
- Dental floss
- Food packaging
- Juvenile products (products designed for children under 12, excluding children’s electronic products)
- Menstruation products
- Textile furnishings
- Upholstered furniture
- Water resistant fabrics
Household Hazardous Waste Program
- Aerosol propellant-based cleaners and air fresheners
- Fabric, upholstery, and carpet stain prevention treatments and cleaners
- Waxes and polishes for floors, furniture, and vehicles
- Dishwashing rinse aids
- Glass and hard surface cleaners
- Ski wax
Businesses
In Minnesota, if a PFAS-containing product also contains other chemicals, it may be regulated as a hazardous waste. Find guidance for identification and management of regulated hazardous wastes in Minnesota in MPCA fact sheet #w-hw1-00.
A business may be subject to liability under the Minnesota Environmental Response and Liability Act (MERLA, also known as the state Superfund law) if it releases PFAS from products containing PFAS. To limit this potential liability, the MPCA recommends managing products containing PFAS as shown in the lists below.
For questions regarding disposal of hazardous wastes and these products containing PFAS, contact the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency at 651-296-6300 or 800-657-3864, or through Ask MPCA at Info.PCA@state.mn.us or the Ask MPCA online form.
Normal solid waste
- Carpets/Rugs
- Cookware
- Cosmetics and personal care products
- Dental floss
- Food packaging
- Juvenile products
- Menstruation products
- Textile furnishings
- Upholstered furniture
- Water resistant fabrics
Hazardous waste
- Class B firefighting foam concentrate
- Cleaning products
- Liquid/spray fabric treatments
- Ski wax