PFAS追責

美國紐約州總檢察長近日向紐約州最高法院提起訴訟，控告多家全氟與多氟烷基物質（PFAS，俗稱「永久性化學物質」）製造商及相關企業，要求禁止其在未充分揭露健康風險的情況下銷售含PFAS產品，並停止涉及安全性與環境影響的誤導性廣告，同時追究企業對環境污染及公共健康所造成的損害責任。

New York Attorney General Letitia James has filed a lawsuit in the New York Supreme Court against multiple manufacturers of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), commonly known as "forever chemicals." The lawsuit seeks to stop companies from selling PFAS-containing products without adequate health warnings, prohibit misleading advertising, and hold manufacturers financially accountable for environmental contamination and public health damages.

PFAS因具有耐高溫、防水、防油等特性，長期被廣泛應用於工業製程及消費性產品。

PFAS have long been used in industrial processes and consumer products because of their heat, water, and oil-resistant properties. However, these chemicals are highly persistent in the environment, accumulating in soil, groundwater, and surface

然而，該類化學物質極難在自然環境中分解，容易於土壤、地下水及水體中累積，並透過飲用水及食物鏈進入人體，已被多項研究證實與癌症、免疫系統異常及發育障礙等健康風險有關，因此受到全球監管機構高度關注。

waters while entering the human body through drinking water and the food chain. Scientific research has linked PFAS exposure to various cancers, immune system disorders, and developmental problems, making them a growing regulatory concern worldwide.

根據法院文件，紐約州擁有超過7萬英里的河川與溪流、約7,600座湖泊與池塘，以及多座水庫，地表水不僅是主要飲用水來源，也支撐商業漁業、觀光及休閒產業；

According to court documents, New York's natural resources include more than 70,000 miles of rivers and streams, approximately 7,600 lakes and ponds, and multiple reservoirs. These water bodies serve as critical sources of drinking water while supporting fisheries, recreation, tourism, and local economies. Groundwater also supplies drinking water to roughly one-third of the state's residents, highlighting the significance of PFAS contamination for public health.

此外，地下水亦供應全州約三分之一居民的日常飲用需求，使PFAS污染問題直接攸關公共用水安全。

To address contamination risks, New York launched a pilot program in six counties in March, offering free PFAS testing for residents relying on private wells. Households whose wells exceed state drinking water standards for perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) or perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) are eligible for rebates of up to $5,000 to install PFAS treatment systems or up to $10,000 to connect to public water supplies.

為降低民眾暴露風險，紐約州今年3月已率先在六個郡啟動私人水井PFAS免費檢測試辦計畫。若檢測結果顯示全氟辛酸（PFOA）或全氟辛烷磺酸（PFOS）濃度達到或超過州政府飲用水標準，居民可申請最高5,000美元補助安裝PFAS淨水設備，或最高1萬美元補助接入公共供水系統。

The state has also strengthened its regulatory response through the Clean Water Infrastructure Act (CWIA), under which New York has invested $5.5 billion since 2017 to improve water infrastructure. This includes $130 million dedicated to

在污染治理方面，紐約州自2017年推動《清潔水基礎設施法》（Clean Water Infrastructure Act, CWIA）以來，已投入55億美元改善水資源基礎設施，其中包括1.3億美元專門用於受垃圾掩埋場及其他污染場址影響的公共飲用水系統整治。法院文件亦指出，PFAS暴露未來可能使紐約州增加約27億至44億美元的醫療支出，進一步凸顯污染防治的財務壓力。

addressing drinking water contamination associated with landfills and other polluted sites. Court filings further estimate that PFAS exposure could generate an additional $2.7 billion to $4.4 billion in healthcare costs for the state.

此次訴訟反映美國州政府正持續加大對PFAS污染的執法力度，也凸顯「污染者付費」（Polluter Pays Principle）逐漸成為環境治理的重要原則。隨著全球PFAS限制法規日益嚴格，企業除須面對產品禁限用與供應鏈替代材料挑戰外，也將承擔更高的法律責任、污染整治成本及ESG資訊揭露要求，促使產業加速發展低毒性材料與循環化學品管理策略。

The lawsuit underscores the growing application of the "polluter pays" principle in environmental enforcement across the United States. As governments worldwide tighten PFAS regulations, companies face increasing legal liabilities, remediation costs, supply chain adjustments, and ESG disclosure obligations, accelerating the transition toward safer chemical alternatives and more sustainable materials management.