Assembly Moves Legislation On Menstrual Product Ingredients

The state Assembly on Monday approved a bill to require boxes of menstrual products sold in New Jersey to list ingredients.

“All women should know what ingredients they are using in any product that they have close to their most intimate parts, or that they insert into their body,” said Assemblywoman Annette Quijano (D-Union), the bill’s sponsor.

Under the bill, manufacturers of any type of menstrual product must provide a list of ingredients in the products on each box, with the list also readily accessible online. 

Key additives – per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances, known as PFAS – belong to a family of long-lasting chemicals often found in menstrual products and have been linked to multiple health problems, including fertility complications, increased risk of cancer, hormone disruption and developmental delays. 

Assemblywoman. Shanique Speight (D-Essex) co-sponsored the bill after hearing about a young woman who died from toxic shock syndrome. “This is in sync with the work that I’ve been doing in educating people when it comes to talking about menstrual health and menstrual products,” Speight said. 

Any manufacturer that does not comply would be subject to a penalty of 1% of their total state sales per noncompliant box, not to exceed $1,000, according to the bill.

The Assembly voted 77-0 to send the bill to the Senate, where it has not yet been scheduled for a hearing. It would take effect 18 months after passage.

This bill comes after New York, California and Nevada passed similar legislation regarding ingredient transparency. Maine, Rhode Island, Vermont, Minnesota and Colorado have banned menstrual products including PFAS from being sold in the states. The FDA does not regulate menstrual product ingredients, because it considers them to be medical devices.

This story was written by Umehani Rehmanji  courtesy of NJ State House News Service.