WARMINSTER, September 7, 2024 – State Senator Katie Muth (D-Chester/Montgomery/Berks), Democratic Chair of the Pennsylvania Senate Policy Committee, joined State Representatives Brian Munroe (D-Bucks) and Greg Scott (D-Montgomery) yesterday to lead a joint policy hearing to discuss proposals addressing the utilize of perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in industrial and consumer applications.
The hearing, held at the Warminster Township building in Bucks County, featured two panels discussing the public health impacts of PFAS and policy solutions that could reduce the utilize of PFAS — a diverse class of more than 15,000 chemicals that are toxic and slowly break down over time yet are widely used in households and industry.
“The joint policy hearing was a stark reminder that Pennsylvania consumers have no protection from toxic materials in everyday items. As we heard yesterday, these evergreen chemicals are present in everything from food packaging to cosmetics to furniture,” Muth said. “Other states are taking action to ban these dangerous chemicals, and it’s time for Pennsylvania to protect our consumers and protect public health by banning PFAS in our commonwealth.”
Senator Muth is working on legislation that would ban the intentional utilize of PFAS in all non-essential industrial applications, as defined by the Pennsylvania Department of Health and the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection. He is also working on legislation that would address the utilize of PFAS by oil and gas operations in Pennsylvania by specifically requiring PFAS testing for all oil and gas operations.
“The 144th Ward, Warminster, Warrington, Ivyland and New Britain are some of the areas most impacted by perpetual chemicals in the country. Loss of drinking water, questions about cancer rates, increased water rates are just a few examples of the impact on our community,” said Rep. Munroe. “The continued existence of these products and the questions of how to properly dispose of them must be addressed.”
Scientific studies have shown that exposure to certain levels of PFAS can adversely affect the reproductive system in pregnant women, impair or delay development in children, and disrupt the body’s natural hormones, among other health risks.
“The use of PFAS chemicals in commercial products is a man-made problem—a choice that put profit above people. For years, corporations have known about the toxic effects of these ‘forever chemicals’ on our health, including causing cancer, infertility, and birth defects,” added Rep. Scott. “Communities across Montgomery County and beyond face serious and persistent health problems related to prolonged exposure to PFAS. We have a constitutional right to clean air and water, and it is our duty to fight for the well-being of all Pennsylvanians. Now we have a choice to put people and the environment first, and I am proud to work with my colleagues to protect consumers from these dangerous substances.”
Rep. Scott introduced House Bill 2238, which would ban the utilize of PFAS in the manufacture and sale of a broad set of products in Pennsylvania by 2027, including artificial turf, cleaning products, carpeting, cookware, cosmetics, dental floss, fabric treatments, food packaging, baby and children’s products, menstrual products, materials used in oil and gas production, ski wax and textiles. The bill would also prohibit the intentional addition of PFAS to products that were previously exempt, starting in 2033, with a set of select exemptions, including medical devices. The bill passed the House Environmental Resources and Energy Committee in June but has not yet been considered by the full House.
“People in my community have seen some of the highest levels of PFAS in the country due to firefighting foams used on local military bases. Not only have they experienced health effects from long-term exposure, but in many cases, they have been forced to foot the bill to filter these chemicals from their drinking water. That is why we must continue our work to reduce unnecessary PFAS contamination and finally hold polluters accountable,” added Sen. Maria Collett (D-Montgomery). “Yesterday’s hearing and testimony are critical to understanding the policy options available to the Commonwealth to achieve these goals.”
Senator Collett has introduced Senate Bill 612, the Pennsylvania PFAS Classification and Cleanup Act, which would designate certain PFAS, particularly those most widely used in firefighting foams, as “hazardous substances” under the state’s Hazardous Sites Cleanup Act to give injured parties the legal basis they need to hold polluters accountable in court. She is also working on legislation that would give the Pennsylvania Attorney General jurisdiction to prosecute polluters for environmental crimes.
Participants in the hearing included Dr. Thomas Zoeller, professor emeritus of biology at the University of Massachusetts at Amherst; Stephanie Wein of PennEnvironment; Ian Louda, legislative coordinator for southeastern Pennsylvania, Clean Water Action; Gretchen Salter, strategic advisor, Safer States; Scott Faber of the Environmental Working Group; and Tracy Carluccio of the Delaware Riverkeepers Network.
State Rep. Ben Sanchez (D-Montgomery) and Sen. Sharif Street (D-Philadelphia) also attended the hearing.
For more information about this policy hearing, and to access all of the testimony and the full recording of today’s hearing, please visit www.SenatorMuth.com/policy.
