‘Forever chemicals’ crackdown: NJ lawmakers approve broad PFAS restrictions

“Forever chemicals,” or PFAS, would be largely banned in New Jersey under two bills that won approval in a Senate Environment and Energy hearing in Trenton on Dec. 1. 

One bill, S4798, sponsored by Senator Linda Greenstein of Plainsboro, would disallow the manufacture, sale, and distribution of apparel containing the additives. Greenstein and Senator Bob Smith, a fellow Democrat from Piscataway, together are sponsoring S1042, called the Protection Against Forever Chemicals Act, to mandate that carpeting, cosmetics, and food packaging be PFAS-free, and to require labeling on cookware with added PFAS.

HOW WE GOT HERE:

Perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl, the most widely used such compounds, are added during manufacturing to repel water, grease, and oil. They’re called “forever chemicals” because under typical conditions, they degrade slowly, if at all. At least 12,000 types exist worldwide, and more are under development. Human exposure—typically via food, dust, air, and drinking water—has been linked to endocrine disruption, cancer, immunotoxicity, and developmental delays. 

‘MOST SERIOUS THREAT’:

PFAS have been detected in the blood of 98% of humans who have been tested, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

“I do encourage less exemptions and more products to be added to the list,” Molly Cleary, an environmental advocate for Clean Water Action, told the lawmakers. 

“Emerging contaminants are the most serious threat we are facing right now,” said Ben Dziobek, executive director of the Climate Revolution Action Network. 

WHAT LAWMAKERS SAY: “We had multiple meetings with every type of stakeholder and did adopt many of the changes that were suggested,” Greenstein said. The apparel law would include such items as school uniforms, undergarments, diapers, bibs, swimwear, costumes, and outdoor protective equipment. Clothing worn by the U.S. military would be exempt.

WHAT’S NEXT: The bills passed unanimously and must be considered by both legislative houses and signed by Governor Phil Murphy if they are to become law. Greenstein spoke of potentially another round of related legislation, involving artificial turf, after remarks about its possible dangers by Taylor McFarland, acting director of the New Jersey chapter of the Sierra Club.

This article was written by Adam Kimball, courtesy of the NJ State House News Service