Insights

Hi friends, Polluted Polly here! We probably met last year as I launched my neighbor-to-neighbor push to ban toxic chemicals like PFAS, otherwise known as the ”forever chemicals,” in food packaging. I’ve traveled the country and met so many great friends and leaders, from state legislators working to pass laws that protect our health, to concerned families living with PFAS-contaminated water, to health professionals wanting to reduce exposure to PFAS especially during the time of COVID. I’ve learned a lot on my journey.

In a historic move, world leaders from 175 nations recently agreed to begin working toward an international agreement to address the entire lifecycle of plastic and create rules around its production, use, and disposal. In response, Unilever—a major corporation contributing to the problem—tweeted: “Plastic pollution is fixable, but the world needs a plan.” 

So, what is their “plan” to address plastic pollution?

Safer States analyzed state-level policies on toxic chemical regulation, finding that at least 32 states will consider policies in 2022. Safer States anticipates that at least 210 policies will be under consideration in 2022 and efforts to combat toxic PFAS chemicals will continue to be the most prevalent issue.

What a year! In 2021 states have once again stepped up and created incentives for safer chemistries, materials as well as protections from toxic chemicals. Using PFAS as a way to highlight the problem, states drove a big toxics agenda including pushing for a class-based restriction of toxic chemicals, transparency about what chemicals are in what products, and identification of safer materials and processes. 

A new report by the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine details the serious impacts that plastic is having on the health of our oceans and communities. It underscores the interconnectivity between plastic pollution and toxic chemicals and reinforces the importance of tackling these challenges together. 

Today, Safer States joined with 35 allies in asking the federal government to follow the states lead and move toward safer, non-toxic materials and products and away from toxic chemicals like PFAS through their purchasing power.

Safer States is proud to partner with the Mind the Store campaign to call on REI, a major outdoor apparel retailer, to phase out and ban PFAS “forever chemicals” in all private-label and brand-name products. REI has the power to lead the outdoor apparel industry in a bold phase-out of PFAS from products. 

A new report by the Toxic-Free Food Campaign titled “Capped With Toxics” found toxic chemicals called ortho-phthalates in more than one-third of the 141 beverage brands tested.

As we move away from disposable products and focus on incentivizing reusables and creating systems for reuse, we need to make sure that those reusable products are non-toxic and sustainable too. 

Juneteenth commemorates June 19, 1865, the day freedom finally came to enslaved people in the state of Texas - nearly two and a half years after President Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclamation. While today is a day of celebration, it is also a day of acknowledgement and recommitment to unraveling the systemic inequality that remains in place to this day.