What Is PFOA, and How Is It Different From PFAS?
PFAS is the whole class, and PFOA is one member of it. The EPA describes PFOA and PFOS as two of the most widely used and studied chemicals in the PFAS group, and says both have been replaced in the United States in recent years with other PFAS.
PFOA was phased out through an EPA program. Under the PFOA Stewardship Program launched in 2006, the EPA asked the eight major companies in the industry to cut PFOA from facility emissions and product content by 95 percent by 2010 and work toward eliminating it by 2015. The EPA says US manufacture and import of PFOA has since been phased out, though existing stocks might still be used and some imported goods might contain it.
In November 2023 the International Agency for Research on Cancer classified PFOA as carcinogenic to humans, its highest category, and PFOS as possibly carcinogenic to humans. IARC notes that its classification reflects the strength of the evidence that a substance can cause cancer, not the level of risk at a given exposure. And because PFOA is only one PFAS, Minnesota’s health department warns that a PFOA-free claim may still mean a product contains other PFAS.
Sources checked September 15, 2026. Every point below links the page it came from.
The sources behind this answer
- Government sourceThe EPA describes PFOA and PFOS as two of the most widely used and studied chemicals in the PFAS group, and says both have been replaced in the United States with other PFAS in recent years. US EPA ↗
- Regulatory filingUnder the PFOA Stewardship Program launched in 2006, the EPA asked eight major companies to cut PFOA from emissions and product content by 95 percent by 2010 and work toward eliminating it by 2015. US EPA ↗
- Regulatory filingThe EPA says manufacture and import of PFOA has been phased out in the United States, though existing stocks might still be used and some imported articles might contain PFOA. US EPA ↗
- Government sourceIn November 2023 an IARC working group classified PFOA as carcinogenic to humans (Group 1) and PFOS as possibly carcinogenic to humans (Group 2B). IARC, World Health Organization ↗
- Government sourceIARC based its PFOA rating on sufficient evidence for cancer in experimental animals and strong mechanistic evidence in exposed humans, with limited evidence for cancer in humans. IARC, World Health Organization ↗
- Government sourceIARC says its classification indicates the strength of evidence that a substance can cause cancer, not the level of cancer risk at different exposures. IARC, World Health Organization ↗
- Regulatory filingMinnesota’s health department says a PFOA free claim may mean a product contains trace PFOA and any amount of other PFAS. Minnesota Department of Health ↗
Sources checked September 15, 2026. A brand statement is the company’s own claim, which we report but have not verified. Our grades are model-based estimates, not lab tests.