On Friday, the Rhode Island General Assembly voted in favor of a bill that would ban the use of PFAS chemicals in numerous consumer products.
The legislation, which was sponsored by Representative Terri Cortvriend and Senator Meghan Kallman, aims to safeguard the public’s health from exposure to PFAS, which are man-made chemicals found in numerous household items like nonstick cookware, stain-resistant carpets, and waterproof clothing.
According to a news release, PFAS have been linked to a number of health issues, including cancer, liver damage, thyroid disease, and reproductive problems. They have also been found to contaminate drinking water sources, groundwater, surface water, soils, and sediments, posing a serious risk to ecosystems and human health.
The bill would prohibit the addition of PFAS to most consumer products sold or manufactured in Rhode Island by Jan. 1, 2027, with additional products being added to the ban on Jan. 1, 2029. It would also ban the use of Class B firefighter foam containing PFAS by Jan. 1, 2025.
“Virtually every American has PFAS in their blood, absorbing it through the water they drink, their clothes and their nonstick pans,” said Representative Cortvriend. “With the exception of firefighting foam, this bill is purposely limited to consumer goods. We know that alternatives to PFAS exist and the goal of this bill is to require manufacturers to adopt those safer alternatives in their manufacturing processes.”
“PFAS are called forever chemicals for a reason,” said Senator Kallman. “Without legislative action, we will continue to pump these harmful substances into our water, food and homes, where they will remain forever, sickening our communities just to pad the profits of plastics companies.”
PFAS are widely used in industrial and commercial settings, but they have been linked to a number of health problems, including cancer, liver damage, thyroid disease, and reproductive problems.
Generative artificial intelligence (AI) assisted a What’sUpNewp journalist with the reporting included in this story.
