PFAS Updates North America 2024

Nhat Nguyen is a US licensed attorney with over 9 years of global regulatory compliance. He currently serves as the Chief Analyst for Enhesa Product Intelligence and leads a new department which provides further insights and solutions to Enhesa Product Intelligence's customers on regulatory compliance, technology and scientific data regarding chemical and chemical products. 

Lynn L. Bergeson has earned an international reputation for her deep and expansive understanding of the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA), the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA), the European Union Registration, Evaluation, Authorization and Restriction of Chemicals (REACH) regulation, the Food Quality Protection Act (FQPA), and especially how these regulatory programs pertain to nanotechnology, industrial biotechnology, synthetic biology, and other emerging transformative technologies. She counsels clients on a wide range of issues pertaining to product stewardship; chemical hazard, exposure, and risk assessment; risk communication; minimizing legal liability; and product lifecycle strategy.

Ruxandra defends industry interests towards legal and regulatory challenges to EU market access. Her practice is focused on EU regulatory law and litigation with a strong emphasis on product, environmental and sustainability regulations, across a large number of sectors ranging from raw materials (chemicals, minerals) to products such as electronics, consumer apparel, medical devices, cosmetics, food and food contact materials. Ruxandra also advises on supply-chain related matters, in particular environmental and regulatory. Although rules and regulations apply per jurisdiction, companies operate globally – her expertise and advice assist companies address global challenges and risks. Ruxandra’s litigation experience is extensive (she defended close to 100 actions before the European Court of Justice and before the Board of Appeal of ECHA), and she has formed and continues to act as a trusted advisor to more than 30 industry groups.

Conor supervises New York State DEC's Pollution Prevention Unit, which is responsible for implementing many of New York's laws that either restrict or require the disclosure of toxic chemicals in consumer products. His work also focuses on industrial hazardous waste reduction, and on the development of green procurement specifications to promote more sustainable purchasing by state government agencies. He has been with the agency for nearly ten years and has a bachelor's degree in Environmental Engineering. 

Martha Marrapese is a sought-out legal and policy advisor on matters where technological advancement, environmental protection and governance intersect. Her clients are solving today’s major environmental security issues including climate change, PFAS, and ocean plastics. Martha frequently consults on plastics, electronic waste and battery recycling, and extended producer responsibility. She is a leading expert on chemical control under the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA), as well as initiatives that advance biobased, sustainable products.

Dr. Jaana Pietari has more than 20 years of professional and academic experience in the fate and transport of contaminants, environmental forensics, and the reconstruction of environmental releases. She has evaluated the sources and fate and transport of emerging contaminants, such as per- and polyfluorinated substances (PFAS) in addition to legacy contaminants, such as polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), petroleum hydrocarbons, and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs). Dr. Pietari has also provided regulatory support for and evaluated operational risks arising from emerging contaminants, such as PFAS and antimicrobial resistance (AMR).

Thomas Delille supports individual companies and industrial associations in the legal challenges triggered by a variety of EU regulations, with a strong focus on chemicals and other environmental, social and governance (ESG) legislations. Thomas’ practice covers the full life cycle of regulations, from influencing the inception of EU acts or decisions, to developing compliance strategies to address existing regulations. Thomas has solid EU litigation experience before EU Courts, as well as the Board of Appeal of the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) on REACH and CLP matters. In addition, Thomas has developed longstanding expertise in addressing complex due diligence obligations in the context of biodiversity legislations (Nagoya Protocol), allowing Thomas to support clients on emerging due diligence obligations in the ESG context (EU Batteries Regulation, Deforestation and the upcoming CS3D).

Dan Bastien is a subject matter expert in Canada with specific experience in the Chemical Management Plan. Dan serves as Senior Director of the Chemicals Group at Intertek Health Sciences, Inc. In this role, he delivers business development expertise, expert advice and direction to clients who seek support in understanding and complying with a wide variety of global chemical control legislation and regulatory initiatives. He works closely with the Chemicals team of regulatory and scientific experts who help clients address challenging regulatory climates and demanding marketplaces, in a timely and cost-effective manner. 

John Gardella is a co-owner of CMBG3 Law and a trial attorney with over 18 years of environmental litigation experience and over 75 cases tried to verdict. His practice focuses on environmental litigation, compliance matters, and risk assessment, as well as the litigation of products liability and toxic chemicals cases. Mr. Gardella is the Chair of his firm’s PFAS practice group, as well as the firm’s Environmental practice group. He currently represents numerous companies involved in PFAS litigation, ranging in size to small family-owned companies to Fortune 500 companies. He has helped guide companies through compliance, due diligence, and risk assessment projects related to PFAS.

Dr. Passarella is an expert strategist in navigating international chemical regulations.  At Intertek, she uses her chemical and legal experience and skill at interpreting complex chemical regulations to design and implement effective policies to protect client’s products.  During her career, Dr. Passarella has advocated for sustainable chemical management to enable the manufacture and sale of products in US and global markets. After completing her Ph.D. in chemistry, she formulated products, managed R&D groups, and managed global Product Stewardship and Sustainability. It was during this time that she pursued a law degree at night school, and is licensed to practice law in New Jersey and Pennsylvania.  Her combination of industry experience, and an in-depth knowledge of chemistry and the law enables her to translate regulatory trends and requirements into business and compliance action plans.

Liz serves as TRC’s PFAS Initiative Leader & Chemistry Director. She currently works on many different types of PFAS investigations with a specific focus on risk liability assessment/management plans, chemistry, sampling procedures, data interpretation, forensics, QA/QC, and analytical methodologies.  Liz is currently serving on the Interstate Technology and Regulatory Council (ITRC) PFAS team, is the co-leader on the PFAS History & Use and Naming Conventions sub-team, and also a trainer for PFAS Sampling & Analysis. Liz won the 2017 and 2022 ITRC Industry Affiliates Award for her contributions to this team. 

Judah Prero focuses his practice on counseling clients on chemical regulatory matters before legislators, regulators, and government agencies. He advises on chemical management laws and regulations, including laws under the jurisdiction of the Environmental Protection Agency such as the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) and the Federal Insecticide Fungicide and Rodenticide (FIFRA), the Consumer Products Safety Commission, and the Department of Homeland Security. He has counseled the chemical industry on programs that regulate commercial and consumer use chemicals, pesticides and antimicrobials, as well as those ensuring the security and safety of the use and handling of those materials both at facilities and in transport. Judah advises product manufacturers and retailers on the compliance challenges posed by new laws - federal and state - restricting the uses of substances such as PFAS and flame retardants.

Enhesa Sustainable Chemistry helps you make safer, greener choices about the chemicals you use. We do this by helping you identify hazards in your products, processes and supply chain thanks to our in-house team of toxicologists, intuitive search portals, proprietary database of pre-screened substances and the largest library of toxicological research documents.

Jillian currently leads Enhesa’s Sustainable Chemistry business unit made up of Scivera and ToxPlanet. The Sustainable Chemistry business focuses on helping companies make safer, more sustainable choices for their products and process chemistry with solutions that help identify potentially hazardous chemicals and allowing companies to take action to protect people, the environment and their brand.