PFAS are a class of more than 12,000 chemicals that are used to make products resist grease, oil, water, or heat. They are commonly found in cookware, cosmetics, clothing, carpets, firefighting foams, and many other products. PFAS chemicals are a public health concern and are linked to a wide range of public health concerns including weaker immune systems, and cancer. States across the country are taking action to ban products containing PFAS.
SB686 and HB1022 build on Maryland’s existing ban on certain products containing PFAS including firefighting foam, carpets, and packaging. These bills extend our phase outs to cleaning products, cookware, cosmetics, personal care products, dental floss, feminine hygiene products, pet food packaging, products for infants and children, and intimacy products in 2028. In 2029, more products would be phased out including: fabric treatments, ski wax, textiles, textile furnishings, upholstered furniture, and paint.
The bills also create a fund for the state’s efforts to assess, prevent, and remediate contamination from PFAS in Maryland’s waterways and communities. We already have PFAS pollution in the state that we need to address, but we also need to prevent the problem from getting worse by turning off the tap on future PFAS pollution.