HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

152nd GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HOUSE RESOLUTION NO. 34

PHASING OUT THE USE OF AVOIDABLE PFAS IN CONSUMER PRODUCTS IN THE STATE OF DELAWARE.

WHEREAS, the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry and the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine have both indicated that per-and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are associated with increases in cholesterol levels, decreases in birth weight, lower antibody response to vaccines in children, kidney and testicular cancer, pregnancy induced hypertension/preeclampsia and changes in liver enzymes; and

WHEREAS the United States Environmental Protection Agency has recently finalized drinking water standards for six PFAS and requires monitoring for many other PFAS; and

WHEREAS 15 states have phased out or regulated PFAS in multiple consumer products including textiles, packaging, cosmetics, and cookware; and

WHEREAS 23 states use a comprehensive definition of PFAS supported by over 100 PFAS researchers that includes all PFAS including polymers, gasses and any PFAS that has more than one fully fluorinated carbon atom, and this definition is consistent with the definition by the Organization of Economic Cooperation and Development; and

WHEREAS Delaware taxpayers have spent over an estimated $20 million dollars to remediate the impacts of PFAS pollution; and

WHEREAS Delaware has already made efforts to limit PFAS exposure through proposed Maximum Contamination Levels in drinking water, banning the use of PFAS in firefighting foams in training, and directing DNREC to provide regular updates on its PFAS measurement efforts; and

WHEREAS Delaware’s drinking water continues to be contaminated by the presence of PFAS in consumer products; and

WHEREAS Delaware has filed lawsuits against makers and users of PFAS to recoup taxpayer expenses for the clean-up of PFAS; and

WHEREAS the Delaware legislature seeks to protect the public from PFAS exposure.

NOW, THEREFORE:

BE IT RESOLVED by the House of Representatives of the 152nd General Assembly of the State of Delaware, that it is the intent that Delaware phase out the use of avoidable PFAS in consumer products sold in Delaware, consistent with precedents set in other states that have banned the use of avoidable PFAS in consumer products.

SYNOPSIS

This House Resolution states the intent to phase out the use of avoidable PFAS in consumer products sold in Delaware, consistent with precedents set in other states that have banned the use of avoidable PFAS in consumer products.