More states restricting PFAS

Every week there is new news about toxic PFAS, and the risk they pose to our health. In April, the EPA announced limits on PFAS chemicals (or mixtures thereof) in drinking water, enhancing Massachusetts standards, underscoring the need to stop using these chemicals.

The Massachusetts Legislature must pass The Act to Protect Massachusetts Public Health from PFAS, H4486 this session. The bill is cosponsored by a bipartisan majority of both the House and Senate.

The PFAS bill, filed by Representative Hogan and Senator Cyr received a favorable report from the Committee on Public Health and is currently pending in the Joint Committee on Health Care Finance.

Last week we saw the following action from states passing bills and enhancing their laws to ban toxic PFAS. Massachusetts should be next.

Connecticut: The Connecticut Legislature banned PFAS in children’s products, firefighter protective gear, clothing/apparel, cookware, cosmetics and personal care products, fabric treatments, textiles and upholstered furniture, and ski wax. PFAS is already banned in food packaging and fire fighting foam.  Connecticut also banned the sale or use of biosolids as a soil amendment. This bill is awaiting final approval from the Governor.

Vermont: The Vermont Legislature added personal care products, menstrual and incontinence products, apparel, cookware, artificial turf, and children’s products on their list of products restricted from including PFAS. Previously, Vermont banned the sale of the following products that contained PFAS;  firefighting foam, carpets and rugs, fabric treatments, food packaging, and ski wax. This bill is awaiting final approval from the Governor.

Colorado: Colorado added most outdoor apparel, cookware, dental floss, ski wax, menstruation products and artificial turf to the no-PFAS list. Previously, Colorado limited PFAS in firefighting foam and phased out PFAS from carpets, rugs, juvenile products and food packaging. Governor has signed this bill into law.

If passed, Massachusetts will join other states in phasing out intentionally added PFAS in food packaging, children’s products, car seats, personal care products, cookware, fabric treatments, carpets and rugs, upholstered furniture, and firefighters’ personal protective equipment and gives the Department of Public Health authority to restrict additional products. See this fact sheet for more information.