Canada is moving to tighten its approach to per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), often referred to as “forever chemicals” due to their persistence in the environment and potential risks to human health and ecosystems. On June 30, 2026, the federal government will bring into force new rules that prohibit the manufacture, use, sale, and import of certain PFAS (including PFOS, PFOA, and long-chain PFCAs), as well as products containing them, with limited exceptions.

As broader restrictions take effect, attention is increasingly turning to how these substances are managed in wastewater systems and biosolids, an area where the federal government has already taken action. Biosolids have been an early focus of federal oversight due to the potential for PFAS to accumulate and enter the environment through land application. In Canada, PFAS requirements for biosolids are enforced by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA). Federal rules for land application have been in place since October 2024. When properly treated and managed, biosolids provide important benefits, including supplying nutrients and organic matter to agricultural soils, diverting waste from landfills, reducing greenhouse gas emissions, and supporting renewable energy production through biogas generation.

The interim standard is designed to reduce the risk of highly contaminated materials being applied to agricultural land. It uses PFOS as a marker for PFAS and requires that biosolids imported or sold in Canada as a fertilizer contain less than 50 ppb (µg/kg) of PFOS. The CFIA states that the goal is to protect soil quality, ensure the safety of food and animal feed, and support a consistent, national approach to managing PFAS risks.

At a high level, the interim standard introduced new requirements for municipalities, including the need to provide a laboratory certificate of analysis confirming PFOS testing results. While the CFIA indicates that at least 92 percent of biosolids already meet this standard, utilities and producers may still need to begin routine testing. In some cases, this could limit certain reuse options. The added requirements for monitoring and documentation may also increase administrative and operational effort.

Looking ahead, limits on PFAS in biosolids signal a broader shift toward tighter oversight of contaminants and highlight the need for proactive planning. Recent regulatory developments, from the 2024 biosolids rule to the 2026 federal restrictions, point to a longer-term transition toward stricter standards for PFAS. For utilities, this may underscore the need to adopt more adaptive strategies to manage regulatory uncertainty, mitigate risk, and maintain flexibility as PFAS policy and science continue to evolve.