On January 1, 2025, the state of Minnesota will implement a sweeping ban on products that contain PFAS, or per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, also known as “forever chemicals.”
The legislation is known as Amara’s Law, as it honors Amara Strande, a young woman whose battle with liver cancer prompted her to campaign for stricter regulations on PFAS which she believed contributed to her illness.
PFAS have been known to cause a gigantic range of health issues—reproductive health problems, developmental issues in children, and hormonal issues in adults. It impacts liver function, it increases the risk of thyroid cancer. The list goes on and on.
Since the 1940s, PFAS have been in a wide range of products, like nonstick cookware and waterproof clothing. The phrase “forever chemical” stems from the fact that these substances don’t naturally degrade. While some researchers have found ways to eliminate forever chemicals in a laboratory setting, the techniques are not yet ready for real-world application.
A deadly thing that cannot be killed shouldn’t exist in the first place, which is what the law aims to do. Under the new law, Minnesotans won’t be able to sell or distribute for sale consumer products with intentionally added PFAS under these 11 categories:
- carpets or rugs
- cleaning products
- cookware
- cosmetics
- dental floss
- fabric treatments
- juvenile products
- menstruation products
- textile furnishings
- ski wax
- upholstered furniture
In 2032, nonessential use of PFAS in other products will end, too.
Minnesota’s is the most stringent stance any state in the country has taken against PFAS. Critics argue that the ban could burden businesses economically as they scramble to find alternative products that are free of dangerous chemicals. State health officials say that long-term savings will outweigh compliance costs.
A lot of local Minnesota companies have already made the switch. Nordic Ware is one of the leading manufacturers of Bundt cake pans in the United States, along with a wide variety of essential kitchen tools. The company says it’s already made the switch. Sigma Beauty, a cosmetic supply company based in Mendota Heights, Minnesota, says it’s already made the switch, too.
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The post Minnesota’s Ban on ‘Forever Chemicals’ Is America’s Strictest appeared first on VICE.
