Today the bipartisan Keep Food Containers Safe from PFAS Act was introduced in the Senate by Sen. Maggie Hassan (D-N.H.) and in the House of Representatives by Reps. Debbie Dingell (D-Mich.) and Don Young (R-Alaska).  The legislation will ban the use of any perfluoroalkyl or polyfluoroalkyl substance (PFAS) as a food contact substance.

Today, Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer signed an executive directive telling the state to “use its purchasing power—an estimated $2.5 billion annually” to buy products that do not contain PFAS chemicals. While other states have product-specific PFAS procurement restrictions, Michigan’s new policy goes further by looking across all purchases by the state. Health advocacy organizations from Michigan and across the nation applaud this move and anticipate more states to take action.

California today passed new precedent-setting laws that require accurate labeling for products and regulate toxic PFAS “forever chemicals” as a class. The three bills signed today by Governor Gavin Newsom ensure truth in advertising through labeling requirements in products claiming to be recyclable; in compostable products; and in cookware, respectively. A fourth bill was also signed that regulates toxic chemicals in juvenile products. All four bills notably address toxic PFAS chemicals as a class, a longstanding recommendation by science experts, health care professionals, and advocates alike.

Today, Maine’s groundbreaking bill that bans “intentionally added” toxic PFAS chemicals in all products by 2030 became law. The new law positions Maine as the first state in the country to establish a procedure to eliminate PFAS in all products, except where the state determines the use is “currently unavoidable,” meaning that the use is both critical for health or safety and a safer alternative is not available.