Queensland's 2026 PFAS Reforms: A New Era of Risk‑Based Regulation

Queensland has entered a new era of PFAS management. Finalised in late 2025 and now fully operational, the state's landmark reforms formally abandon the old "zero‑tolerance" approach in favour of a modern, risk‑based regulatory framework - reshaping how PFAS‑impacted soil, liquids, biosolids and drinking water are assessed and managed across the state.

Anchored by amendments to the Environmental Protection Regulation 2019 and the national PFAS NEMP 3.0, the updated framework seeks to balance genuine environmental protection with the practical realities of waste management, construction and infrastructure delivery. For proponents, councils and utilities across Queensland, understanding these changes is now essential.

New Regulated Waste Thresholds: The Most Significant Change

Under the previous regime, any detectable level of PFAS in soil or liquid automatically triggered regulated‑waste classification, often generating significant disposal costs and project delays for construction and redevelopment proponents.

Queensland's 2026 reforms introduce clear, enforceable concentration thresholds for PFOA, PFOS, PFHxS and other PFAS species. Material with concentrations below these limits is no longer automatically treated as regulated waste, a change that delivers real cost savings for projects managing low‑level PFAS‑containing material.

Table 1                 PFAS Regulated Waste Thresholds (2026)

These thresholds remain extremely low. Proponents must demonstrate compliance through robust sampling programs, laboratory QA/QC and defensible reporting; however, the shift meaningfully reduces the regulatory burden for materials that pose negligible risk.

Drinking Water Standards Tighten Under the Updated ADWG

Following the June 2025 review by the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC), Queensland's water authorities (including Seqwater and local councils) are now operating under significantly stricter drinking water limits for key PFAS species.

Table 2                New ADWG PFAS Limits Adopted in Queensland (2026)

These new thresholds position Queensland among the strictest PFAS jurisdictions in Australia, reflecting a growing national focus on drinking water safety and long‑term community exposure risks. Water authorities will need to revisit monitoring programs, infrastructure investment plans and public reporting obligations in light of these changes.

Contaminated Land and Circular Economy Reforms

The move to risk‑based PFAS regulation dovetails with Queensland's broader 2025–2030 Waste Strategy, which prioritises circularity and the diversion of recoverable materials from landfill.

Contaminated Soil

Under updates to Schedule 9 of the Environmental Protection Regulation, soil from land listed on the Environmental Management Register (EMR) or Contaminated Land Register (CLR) is no longer automatically classified as regulated waste if it meets new risk‑based criteria. This enables:

• Reuse or onsite management of low‑risk soils
• Reduced dependency on landfill disposal
• Improved project efficiency and cost certainty for proponents

Biosolids and Compost

The Department has finalised PFAS limits for biosolids, compost and organic recovery facilities, aligning with NEMP 3.0. These standards enable the safe reuse of organic materials without contributing to PFAS accumulation in agricultural soils or urban environments, a meaningful step forward for resource recovery operators.

Remediation Over Disposal

Queensland's 2026 guidance introduces a clear preference for treatment technologies over "dig and dump" disposal, including:

• On‑site stabilisation and immobilisation
• Thermal destruction
• Emerging innovative treatment approaches aligned with NEMP 3.0 expectations

Queensland's State‑Level PFAS Management Protocol

Queensland remains the only state with a formal PFAS Contamination Protocol requiring state‑owned entities (including ports, emergency services and government‑owned corporations) to apply the same risk‑based management principles expected of private industry.

Legacy Stock Phase‑Out

By end of 2026, Queensland intends to achieve a near‑total phase‑out of PFAS‑containing products not already prohibited under national standards. This includes legacy consumer and industrial goods such as certain cosmetics, niche industrial fluids and older firefighting foams held in storage- categories that have historically proven difficult to regulate at a jurisdictional level.

Table 3               Queensland's 2026 PFAS Framework at a Glance

Our Expertise: How Peter J Ramsay & Associates Adds Value

The transition to Queensland’s updated PFAS framework represents a major shift for industry, councils, utilities and infrastructure proponents. Peter J Ramsay & Associates provides clear, practical support to help organisations manage compliance and implement best‑practice solutions.

Environmental, Health and Safety Legal Registers and Audits

• We maintain comprehensive, up‑to‑date legal registers and conduct audits to ensure your operations reflect new PFAS thresholds, waste classification rules and contaminated land obligations.

PFAS Management and Risk Assessment

• Our experts provide guidance on PFAS waste characterisation, sampling programs, remediation options and risk‑based disposal pathways in line with NEMP 3.0 and the updated EP Regulation.

Contaminated Land and Waste Strategy Support

• We help proponents navigate EMR/CLR obligations, develop soil and groundwater management plans and align projects with Queensland’s circular economy priorities.
• Queensland’s PFAS reforms are reshaping how waste, water and contaminated land are managed across the state. At PJRA, we support industry and government in adapting to these changes through robust compliance advice, environmental planning and risk management expertise.

Learn more about how we can assist today

Annika Taylor

Phone: 03 9690 0522

Email: annika.taylor@pjra.com.au