PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — The Pennsylvania House Environmental Resources and Energy Committee held a hearing Tuesday on a bill that would ban PFAS in consumer products. Supporters say a ban is needed now, but opponents say the legislation is too broad and could have a significant impact on Pennsylvania’s industry.
The PFAS label includes thousands of man-made chemicals often referred to as “forever chemicals” because they don’t break down in the environment or the body, and have been linked to several serious health conditions.
A bill, introduced by Montgomery County state Rep. Greg Scott, would ban the use of PFAS in menstrual products, cleaning ingredients, cookware, and dental floss.
He said when he joined the Norristown Fire Department when he was 16 years old, the leading cause of death for firefighters was cardiac arrest. Today, he says, it’s cancer.
“Specifically cancer believed to be caused by chemicals such as PFAS, which is in our gear, and the bed, couch and cookware that are in the burning building that we're searching,” he said.
Scott says his legislation has a phased-in approach for the ban.
“This will allow manufacturers time to adjust their processes, or they will face some young entrepreneur, preferably from Pennsylvania that is competitive as hell who will show them how to get it done,” he said.
The legislation would also allow waivers if a company could show their product cannot be made without PFAS.
Northwestern Pa. Republican Martin Causer and minority chair of the Environmental Resources and Energy Committee says the legislation is too broad.
“You could have one state enact it; the neighboring state doesn't,” Causer said. “And it's just going to push manufacturing out of the state and set up in the neighboring state.”
Supporters say Maine and Minnesota have enacted similar legislation, though industry experts countered, saying both states have dialed back their initial bans and are struggling with enforcement.