Banning PFAS “forever chemicals” in Massachusetts will protect our health

Dangerous PFAS chemicals are common in drinking water and household items – and while we have made some progress – we need to do a lot more to protect public health.

PFAS threatens our health

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are a class of over 12,000 chemicals used to make products stain proof, water resistant, and nonstick. PFAS can be found in a wide array of consumer products, including food packaging, carpets, clothing, cookware, pesticides, artificial turf, cleaners, waxes, building materials, paints, personal care products, firefighting gear and foam.

All PFAS have a fluorine atom bonded to a carbon atom. This is one of the strongest bonds in nature — and, as a result, PFAS chemicals are extraordinarily persistent. They are nicknamed “forever chemicals” because they never fully break down, remaining in the environment for thousands of years. PFAS are bio-accumulative, which means as we continue to make and use PFAS, they continue to build up in our bodies, wildlife and the environment.

Toxic even at very low levels, these chemicals increase the risk of developing cancers, immunosuppression, liver disease, developmental and reproductive harm and more.

How are we exposed to PFAS?

We are exposed to PFAS by using products that contain  PFAS, or by eating and drinking contaminated food and water. PFAS in products escape into air and dust, which we breathe. When products containing PFAS are manufactured and disposed of, PFAS leach into the soil, groundwater and drinking water. 

Massachusetts has a PFAS problem

In Massachusetts, at least 171 public water systems in 96 cities and towns, and many private wells, have exceeded the state’s legal limit (Maximum Contaminant Level) for PFAS. New federal standards for PFAS in water will double the number of water systems that will be over the legal limit for PFAS.

Why we should ban PFAS 

The EPA says PFAS exposure, even in small amounts, is linked to serious health problems over time, including cancer, thyroid disruption and reduced vaccine response. 

Because there are literally thousands of types of PFAS chemicals in our environment, determining how each one affects the body isn’t easy.

The National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences found that some PFAS “altered metabolism and body weight regulation,” put children at an increased risk for obesity, increased the risk of some cancers, and reduced the ability of the immune system to ward off illnesses.

Similarly, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says evidence suggests increased exposure to some PFAS had associations with increased cholesterol levels, changes in liver function, decreased infant birth weight, pregnancy-induced hypertension, as well as kidney and testicular cancer.

While the scope of these correlations is still being studied, one thing is clear: PFAS are harmful to humans and the planet.

MASSPIRG is working to protect the public from PFAS

We are working to pass a bill in Massachusetts which would:   

• Ban PFAS in several categories of consumer products including food packaging, children’s products, personal care products, carpets, furniture textiles, clothing, cookware, and firefighting foam; prevented industrial discharges of PFAS to water; 
• Set up a fund to help test and treat private wells and public water systems for PFAS; 
• Authorize the Department of Public Health to add additional products for restriction; 
• Require the state to study PFAS in agriculture and phased out the use of PFAS-containing fertilizer on farms.   

Photo by Liam Louis, Elle Vignette Photography | Used by permission

This summer, we made an important step forward when Governor Maura Healey signed a new law to ban PFAS in firefighters’ turn-out gear.

MASSPIRG’s Deirdre Cummings looks on as Gov. Maura Healey signs new law to ban PFAS in firefighting gear.Photo by Leise Jones | Used by permission

Working with our network partners and coalitions across the country, we have made progress in getting forever chemicals out of as many products as possible. 

• Twenty-six states have passed laws to ban or restrict PFAS in food packaging, cosmetics, firefighting foams and other consumer products.
• McDonald’s has agreed to phase out PFAS-treated food wrappers and boxes in its restaurants.
• And REI recently agreed to eliminate PFAS in its outdoor gear by 2026.

We’re also working to hold the chemical industry responsible for the harm it’s caused to our health and environment, and require it to clean up the mess it’s made. And we’re calling on more corporations to take proactive measures to remove PFAS from their products. 

Together, we’re making big progress toward a future safe from these toxic “forever chemicals.”