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Shaheen and bipartisan, bicameral group of lawmakers introduce legislation to reduce PFAS exposure among service members, families

By Staff | Jun 30, 2020

Sen. Jeanne Shaheen, D-NH, listens as Kenneth Braithwaite, nominated to be Secretary of the Navy, Gen. Charles Q. Brown, Jr., nominated for reappointment to the grade of General and to Chief of Staff of the U.S. Air Force, and James Anderson, nominated to be Deputy Under Secretary of Defense for Policy testify, during a Senate Armed Services Committee hearing on Capitol Hill in Washington, Thursday, May 7, 2020. (Kevin Dietsch/Pool via AP)

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) introduced legislation today with U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) and U.S. Representatives Elissa Slotkin (D-MI) and Mike Turner (R-OH) to reduce exposure of service members and their families to harmful PFAS chemicals. The bicameral, bipartisan PFAS Free Military Purchasing Act prohibits the Department of Defense from acquiring items that contain these dangerous and toxic chemicals commonly found in food service ware, carpets and rugs, cosmetics, and many other everyday items. PFAS exposure has been linked to a number of serious health conditions, including cancer, liver damage, decreased fertility, and increased risk of asthma and thyroid disease.

“PFAS exposure has been the cause of worry and uncertainty for too many families. That’s why we must prioritize policies to prevent and remediate PFAS chemical exposure. This bill is an important investment in the first part of that strategy: prevention,” said Shaheen. “PFAS chemicals have found their way into not only our water systems, but also every day supplies including food packaging, cosmetics and many other household items. This legislation would help protect our service members and their families from exposure by prohibiting the Department of Defense from procuring items that contain these harmful contaminants. I urge members on both sides of the aisle to join us in this effort.”

The PFAS Free Military Purchasing Act is endorsed by the Environmental Working Group and the Green Science Policy Institute.

“Our military service members risk everything to keep us safe,” said Scott Faber, Vice President of the Environmental Working Group, which tracks PFAS pollution at military bases. “We should do everything we can to protect service members from toxic chemicals like PFAS, which contaminate the groundwater of hundreds of DOD installations. We applaud Senators Blumenthal and Shaheen and Representative Slotkin for building on the progress made in last year’s NDAA by ending DOD uses of forever chemicals in everyday products like cosmetics and sunscreen.”

“Tens of millions of Americans have been drinking water contaminated with toxic PFAS chemicals for decades. We can clean up that drinking water, at great expense, but the PFAS polluting our rivers and lakes will never be removed,” said Arlene Blum. PhD, Executive Director of the Green Science Policy Institute. “Our best strategy is to stop the use of PFAS at its source–in products. This legislation does exactly that by instructing the military to stop purchasing products–furniture, carpeting, and even dental floss–containing these harmful chemicals. With the PFAS Free Military Purchasing Act we can have healthier products and healthier people.”

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