New Mexico Should Reconsider Exemptions in PFAS Law
Pew letter explains that excluding fluoropolymers could harm health
On Sept. 17, 2026, The Pew Charitable Trusts submitted comments to the New Mexico Environment Department (NMED) about the department’s forthcoming report to the state Legislature on the PFAS Protection Act, which the state enacted in 2025.
Pew’s comments commended the state for its work thus far in protecting residents from the harms of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). They also documented the evidence linking PFAS exposure to reproductive and developmental harm, thyroid problems, immune suppression, increased cancer risk, and metabolic interference.
But Pew’s letter also urged NMED to assess PFAS risks broadly as part of the act's implementation, with a focus on endocrine disruption—interference with the endocrine system, a complex network of glands and organs that make hormones, which are essential to many functions of the human body—and to evaluate the potential health benefits of adopting protections against exposure to fluoropolymer, a PFAS subclass. NMED should continue to build the evidence base for harm prevention and safer alternatives.
NMED is developing its report in response to a directive from the Legislature to study how the PFAS law is working, particularly its exemptions, and to recommend needed changes. The department will issue its final report in August 2027.
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