SACRAMENTO -  Senator Ben Allen (D-Santa Monica) introduced Senate Bill 682, a comprehensive piece of legislation aimed at banning unnecessary uses of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), commonly known as "forever chemicals," in consumer products.

"California has long been a national leader in regulating harmful chemicals; SB 682 is the natural next step in this fight," said Senator Allen. "PFAS is impacting our communities, our environment, and utility ratepayers. This issue is quickly becoming a significant and costly management concern for drinking water and wastewater utilities tasked with protecting public health and the environment. Our bill will protect people from exposure to harmful chemicals, prevent further contamination, and will hold manufacturers accountable to produce more sustainable products without these harmful chemicals."

PFAS chemicals are associated with numerous health effects from cancer to high cholesterol, reproductive harm, and harm to the immune system. The chemicals are found in a variety of everyday consumer products, such as non-stick cookware, plastic food packaging, cleaning products, dental floss, and a wide range of other consumer and industrial applications. These chemicals are resistant to breakdown in the environment, and as a result, PFAS is detected in virtually all our bodies and throughout our environment, including in California’s water, wastewater systems and other waste streams.

SB 682 is a pragmatic bill that will require California to shift to an essential use model, restricting the use of PFAS to only those applications where no viable alternatives are currently available. It will focus on reducing the public health impacts and financial burden of managing these toxic chemicals, while still allowing for critical uses of PFAS to continue. Manufacturers who wish to continue to use PFAS will have to demonstrate that:

1. The use of PFAS in their product is currently unavoidable, meaning that no safer alternatives to PFAS exist for that specific purpose,
2. The function provided by PFAS in the product is necessary for the product to work, and
3. The product is critical for the health, safety, or functioning of society.

Last year, US EPA imposed a federal drinking water standard setting maximum limits for PFAS in drinking water. This is important to protect the public from drinking contaminated water, but will be a significant cost burden for local water agencies to meet. Without state action to further reduce the introduction of these chemicals, the impact of PFAS on wastewater agencies and associated affordability concerns for treating for these chemicals at the end of the line are also staggering. These chemicals circulate through society, and accumulate in wastewater, biosolids, and effluent streams, making their removal and disposal a costly and complex process. The more cost-effective approach outlined in SB 682 is to limit how PFAS can be used in commerce, systematically reducing how the chemicals enter our everyday environment and waste management systems.

California has an opportunity to demonstrate leadership in regulating toxic forever chemicals, especially in a time where the federal government has signaled a shift away from further regulation. It's crucial to send a strong message to the chemical industry: the time to move away from these harmful chemicals and invest in PFAS alternatives is now. It is a challenging but critical step to protect our communities from harmful contaminants.

California's leadership in introducing SB 682 positions the state as a leader and model for addressing the global issue of PFAS contamination. By regulating these chemicals and focusing on source control, pollution prevention, and removing PFAS before it enters the environment, this bill will put California at the forefront of protecting its residents, water systems, and natural resources.

SB 682 will be referred to its relevant policy committee in the coming weeks.