Happy Earth Month! Here at Clean Water, we’re always asking how we can help Mother Earth do her job to preserve and protect our beautiful planet.
This year we’re focused on pollution prevention – and our #1 nemesis, PFAS. This group of more than 14,000 manmade chemicals, meant to make our lives easier (non-stick pans, rainwear, food packaging, cosmetics, electronics are just a few of the places where PFAS can be found) is literally making us sick. PFAS are found EVERYWHERE in our environment – even the North Pole! – AND in our bodies. They build up in our bodies, they don’t break down easily – except to other PFAS – and they’re extremely difficult to remove.
A wide group of industries have made billions making PFAS or putting them in products. Now we’re asking for them to be removed. SB 823 (Allen) is a sweeping bill that would require PFAS to be removed from most products in California just a few years.
For many uses of PFAS, safer replacements already exist or their use in a product is not necessary (Do I NEED PFAS in my dental floss?). California's SB 823 provides a way to determine when a PFAS use is both essential for the good of society and when no comparable substitute has yet been identified. These essential uses would be granted additional time to comply with the ban – but they’d have to get to work to find a replacement. However, given that so many uses of PFAs are not at all necessary, this bill would drive down the use of PFAS quickly.
I’m sure you’ll be shocked to hear that this bill is receiving a LOT of pushback from industry. The fact that they’re everywhere, they’re dangerous and they’re hard to treat doesn’t seem to be an issue for those who continue to manufacture and distribute these chemicals. (Hopefully the courts can make it an issue!) Industry shills are working hard to convince the legislature that we can’t live without these chemicals – but, you know, living with them is no picnic!
Clean Water Action is taking on this fight to rid our drinking water and our environment of this dangerous class of chemicals. Won’t you help us? Please consider making a donation today to Clean Water Action.
