In The News
Vermont Votes Yes to Protect Health and the Environment
Vermont Advances Bill to Protect Vermonters from PFAS and other Toxic Chemicals
The Vermont Senate has voted to advance S.25, which would restrict the use of toxic chemicals like PFAS in per- sonal care products, menstrual prod- ucts, textiles, and artificial turf. This bill takes important steps to protect Vermonters’ health and our environment from these harmful chemicals, targeting specific areas of consumer products that are major sources of exposure and environmental contamination, including:
• Banning a list of 14 chemicals and chemical classes from personal care products and period products.
• Banning PFAS from all textiles, including apparel .
• Banning PFAS from artificial turf fields.
“Personal care products and period products are applied directly to Vermonters’ skin and intimate areas every day,” said Marcie Gallagher, Environmental Advocate at the Vermont Public Interest Research Group (VPIRG). “Textiles represent the largest source of PFAS in our landfills, and children are exposed to turf over long periods of time. Every exposure pathway matters, and S.25
takes an important step to stop these harmful products from entering our marketplace.”
From production of the chemicals, to their transport, their use in products, and disposal in our landfills, toxic chemicals pose threats to communities throughout their lifecycle.
For each of these product categories, there are safer and cost-competitive alternatives available – or the chemicals are not necessary in the first place. This bill aligns us more closely with states like CA and WA, and many retailers are also starting to move away from the use of these toxic substances in the products they sell. It will require more companies to restrict these harmful chemicals in these product classes.
Kristi Lafayette with Vermont Skincare Company, the only Vermont based brand producing Environmental Working Group (EWG) verified organic skincare, celebrated the Senate’s passage of S.25, “This policy will help businesses like ours that have already taken it upon themselves to avoid unsafe or questionable ingredients in our products.” Larry Plesent, founder of Vermont Soap Company based in Middlebury, VT applauds this, as well. Their mission is to create a “chain of good” from farm field, to factory, to you.
Read more about this important win for public health and environmental protection at: https://vermontbiz.com/news/2023/april/19/advocates-call-action-protect-people-pfas-cosmetics-textiles-and-turf