House unanimously approves ban on toxic PFAS chemicals in consumer products

By Ellie French | VTDigger | May 4, 2021

Read the full article by Ellie French (VTDigger)

“The House unanimously approved a bill Tuesday banning toxic chemicals from a slate of consumer products in Vermont.

The legislation, S.20, would restrict PFAS chemicals — perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl — in four main areas: fire-extinguishing foam, food packaging, rugs and carpets, and ski wax. It also includes restrictions of phthalates and bisphenols, which are commonly used in plastic products.

Rep. Dane Whitman, D-Bennington, said the House Committee on Human Services took weeks of testimony on the bill, learning that the toxic PFAS chemicals ‘can cause great harm and lasting costs to human health and property.’

‘It is rare to find an emerging environmental health issue that is so universal, that contaminates both the water we drink, the air we breathe, and the food we eat,’ Whitman said. ‘It is rare to find a substance that is so ubiquitous, so persistent, and yet so unknown.’

The first three categories of PFAS bans have been replicated in states around the country. Vermont, however, would be the first state to ban the chemicals from ski wax. The U.S. Ski and Snowboard Association also plans to ban PFAS-containing wax from its races later this year.

PFAS have been proven to have a huge range of adverse health impacts, on everything from the liver to the endocrine system to the immune system. They can also harm fetuses, reduce sperm counts, and increase risk for cancer…”

This content provided by the PFAS Project.