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PFAS, the “forever chemicals” made simple
In our work at Clean Water Action we throw around a lot of statistics and chemical names which, if you’re not used to hearing them, all sound pretty much like “ethyl-methyl-bad-stuff.” Sometimes that’s really all you need to know: “there’s something bad there – stay away.”
But one group of chemicals you really should know about is PFAS, aka “Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances”, aka “the forever chemicals.” To keep it simple, we’ve boiled down the facts for you in this handy infographic. Check it out!
Want to dig deeper? You can learn more about PFAS at
Maryland bans toxic flame retardants, can Massachusetts be next?
At this point many people are aware of the dangers of the toxic flame-retardant chemicals that are applied to household products. Now, widespread concern is turning into real action. Motivated by consumer interest, many manufacturers and retailers have been phasing out these chemicals and using safer, fire resistant materials. Thirteen states have already restricted the use of one or more flame-retardant chemicals. Maine, California and others have passed legislation drastically limiting these chemicals in the home, and last month Maryland joined them by passing tough restrictions on toxic
Taking a stand against racism and police brutality
As an organization dedicated to the creation and preservation of a healthy environment for all we are appalled and sickened by the recent murders of Black people by police (George Floyd and Breonna Taylor) as well as police complicity with vigilante murder (Ahmaud Arbery).
Massachusetts House Releases "Ominous" Energy Bill, and It's Not Scary At All!
The Massachusetts Committee on Telecommunications, Utilities and Energy released a much-anticipated energy "omnibus" bill on May 23rd. The current language focuses on offshore wind and hydropower, with state senators vocally pushing for more comprehensive legislation that includes energy efficiency and storage. Notably––after months of advocacy––the bill omits language on gas pipelines contained in earlier drafts. Read the summary or full bill text here.
As written, the bill requires the state to procure 1200 megawatts of offshore wind energy by 2027. To our knowledge, this is the largest
Fighting Back Toxic Flame Retardants
Marley Kimmelman is an Environmental Health and Justice Intern with our Massachusetts office
The last time you heard from me I was just beginning my internship with Clean Water Action. That was 5 months ago.
Even before stepping foot in to the Clean Water Action office in downtown Boston I had already gotten involved in the fight to phase out flame retardants when I testified at a city council hearing as a concerned college student. The public pressure paid off, and the city council voted in March to update our fire code to match the rest of the state. This allows schools, universities