Bill 34: Forever Chemicals Prohibition Act

This bill affects a wide range of Nova Scotia retailers, distributors, and manufacturers — from outdoor gear shops and cookware sellers to food packaging suppliers and industrial equipment dealers — since PFAS are found in thousands of everyday products including non-stick cookware, water-resistant clothing, food wrappers, and firefighting foam. A small retailer or importer would need to audit their entire product catalogue to identify anything with intentionally added PFAS and either find compliant alternatives or qualify their products under the 'essential product' exemption before the 2028 deadline. Larger distributors supplying multiple industries face the most complex compliance burden, as they'll need to work upstream with manufacturers to obtain ingredient transparency across their supply chains. Businesses unable to substitute away from PFAS-containing products risk criminal liability under the offence provision, making early supply chain review critical.