Safer States: An Alliance for a Healthier World

“The health of our Indigenous Peoples of the Arctic depends on eliminating toxic chemicals and plastics that harm our health. We suffer disproportionate health disparities from our exposures, burdens that we did not create. The Arctic is a hemispheric sink for chemicals and plastics that are transported on atmospheric and oceanic currents from lower latitudes—we rely on policymakers to take urgent actions by passing effective legislation to prevent the production, use, and disposal of these dangerous substances that contaminate our traditional foods and bodies.”

Vi Waghiyi
Environmental Justice and Health Director, Alaska Community Action on Toxics, Tribal Citizen of the Native Village of Savoonga, Yupik Mother and Grandmother, White House Environmental Justice Advisory Council

“Governments must step up to protect innocent people like Amara who believed, through no fault of her own, she got cancer because of PFAS chemicals. Clean and safe drinking water is a human right. Products that are free of chemicals that can harm us is a basic expectation we all share. Amara’s Law will ban the use of “forever chemicals” in thousands of products in the state of Minnesota and other states should follow suit. We must stop exposure to these deadly chemicals as soon as possible.”

Michael Strande
Father to Amara Stande

“Thousands of farms across the country have been put at risk by the land application of sewage sludge and groundwater contamination. When farms get poisoned with PFAS, the farmers, farmworkers, and families are at a really elevated risk of exposure. We all want safe food, so we need to keep our farmland free of these persistent, toxic chemicals—that means no more careless disposal of sludge in America’s bread basket. We also need to get PFAS out of production wherever possible.”

Adam Nordel
PFAS impacted farmer and Campaign Manager at Defend Our Health

“States are leading the charge in protecting public health by not only cleaning up toxic pollution but also preventing it from happening in the first place. No one wants microplastics or chemicals linked to cancer in their food, water, or everyday products. By taking bold action to keep these harmful chemicals out of our communities, states are safeguarding our health and saving money by solving the problem before it begins.”

Sarah Doll
Safer States, National Director

“These “forever chemicals” are killing us. Washington was the first state to ban PFAS in firefighting foam and require companies to disclose their use in our turnout gear. We led the nation. Now, we need to finish the job and ban these toxics, clean up contamination, and hold polluters responsible”.

A.J. Johnson
Washington State Council of Firefighters

“Time and time again, we’ve seen state policy transform key market sectors toward safer products. Allies across the country are actively pushing for retailers to eliminate more toxic chemicals and plastics from the products on their shelves and move to safer solutions across the board.”

Cindy Luppi
National Field Director, Clean Water Action