Vermont Bill is First in Nation to Ban Sale of Consumer Products with PFAS

Vermont Governor Phil Scott signed into law a new bill that restricts the sale of consumer products that contain PFAS. The bill bans PFAS chemicals from firefighting foam, food packaging, ski wax, carpets and rugs and after market stain-resistant treatments.

Over the past two years, Washington, New York, and Maine have enacted phase-outs of PFAS in food packaging that begin taking effect in December 2022. Federal legislation to ban PFAS in food packaging, the Keep Food Containers Safe from PFAS Act, is expected to be reintroduced by US Representative Debbie Dingell.
 
Over the past two years, 18 food retailers, including Ahold Delhaize, Albertsons, Amazon.com, Cava, Chipotle, McDonald’s, Panera Bread, Sweetgreen, Trader Joe’s, Wendy’s, and Whole Foods Market, announced steps to reduce or eliminate PFAS in food packaging at their more than 77,000 stores.

The bill should be of concern to cosmetics makers, assert some experts. 
 
Vermont Conservation Voters, Safer States, Safer Chemicals Healthy Families, and Mind the Store released statements applauding the move.  
 
“We applaud our state’s leadership for taking such strong action in response to the demands of our community members for protection from dangerous PFAS chemicals,” said Lauren Hierl, executive director of Vermont Conservation Voters. “This bill adds powerful momentum to the fight against PFAS, and will help lead to the elimination of this dangerous chemical from all avoidable uses.” 
 
“This ground-breaking policy has an impact beyond Vermont’s borders. It sends a strong message to the chemical industry and manufacturers that PFAS have no place in products,” explained Sarah Doll, national director of Safer States. “Vermont’s leadership is part of a growing movement around the country to act upstream and prevent PFAS contamination before it happens. And, other states are well-positioned to join this movement in the future.” 
 
“This new law demonstrates that people and communities understand the dangers of these ‘forever chemicals’ and want common-sense laws to protect them,” said Liz Hitchcock, director of Safer Chemicals Healthy Families. “Vermont’s vote shows once again that this is a bipartisan issue. We can all agree that toxic chemicals don’t belong near us or in our environment. Congress must take action to ban PFAS and chemicals. Rep. Dingell’s bill to eliminate PFAS in food packaging should move forward quickly.”
 
The NGOs against the use of PFAS state that a growing body of scientific research has found links between exposures to PFAS and health problems including a weaker immune system, cancer, increased cholesterol levels, pregnancy-induced hypertension, liver damage, reduced fertility, and increased risk of thyroid disease.