News & Insights: Minnesota

Safer States published 2023 Analysis of State Legislation Addressing Toxic Chemicals and Materials on February 6, 2023 which analyzed state-level policies driving toward safer chemicals and materials and healthier communities, finding that at least 30 states will consider policies in 2023. Safer States anticipates that at least 260 policies will be under consideration in 2023 with PFAS, plastics and cosmetics being the most relevant issues.

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. 

The new book “Count Down” by environmental and reproductive epidemiologist Shanna Swan crystallizes just how dangerous endocrine disrupting chemicals, such as phthalates and bisphenols, are to human reproductive health – and even pose a threat to the potential survival of the human species. States have been leading the charge to combat these harmful chemicals.

Welcome back to our celebration of the victories and momentum on toxic chemicals this year! Today we are highlighting important advocacy work from four states—California, New York, Minnesota and Washington—that is making a positive impact on the health and resilience of their communities. Their work pushed companies to move away from the most toxic chemicals and, in some cases, to also disclose information on whether or not certain toxic chemicals are in their products.