Endocrine-disrupting “forever chemicals,” or PFAS, found in common household articles have drawn bipartisan interest from Pennsylvania legislators.

Rep. Greg Scott, R-Norristown, and 23 cosponsors have introduced a bill that would prohibit their use from personal care items including cosmetics and menstrual products.

“People are becoming more aware of PFAS contamination in drinking water because of runoff from firefighting foams used at airports and military bases,” said Scott. “What many may not realize is that PFAS are not exclusively used in these foams — they’re widely used by manufacturers of many of the products we use every single day.”

PFAS, an acronym for per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, are widely used, long lasting chemicals, components of which break down very slowly over time. Studies vary on their harmful effects; more is known about their impact on animals than on humans. PFAS, the Environmental Protection Agency says, “are found in water, air, fish, and soil at locations across the nation” and throughout the world.

Among the cosponsors is Rep. Natalie Mihalek, R-Pittsburgh, who spoke about the legislation.

“Forever chemicals got their name for a reason, and like other harmful chemicals in our everyday products, there’s no plausible way to avoid them,” Mihalek said. “From ultra-processed food ingredients to pesticides to PFAS, while I am glad these threats are gaining more attention, Pennsylvanians deserve real action.”

Last fall, several experts testified before a House Consumer Protection, Utilities and Technology committee on the topic, including Ian Louda, legislative coordinator for Clean Water Action.

“The Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry at the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, as well as the Pennsylvania Department of Health, have found associations between PFAS exposure and health effects like lower antibody response to vaccines, immune system suppression, increased cholesterol levels, pregnancy-induced hypertension, reduced fertility, liver damage, and increased risk of thyroid disease and the potential for cancer,” said Louda.

The risks are especially worrisome for young children, though product labeling leaves many parents in the dark about the presence of PFAS.

“If you have endocrine disruption at that critical juncture, you’re going to have far-reaching effects, and so there’s a robust body of evidence that exposure to endocrine disrupting chemicals on fetal and neonatal childhood growth and the development of the reproductive system can be linked to the early on puberty with estrogenetic effects linked to that, both girls and boys,” Stephanie Wein, statewide water and conservation advocate at PennEnvironment, told the committee.

The chemicals also pose significant harm to women who use cosmetic and menstrual products directly on the skin in areas that absorb chemicals at 10 to 80 times the rate of other skin on the body.

Experts even warned against products that are not used directly on the body but degrade over time, leaving toxic dust around homes and, ultimately, in landfills where they have the potential to contaminate groundwater.

The chemical industry has cautioned against making bans that are too broad, which could have unintended consequences and create a confusing landscape for producers. Several states have already enacted chemical bans, which have proven challenging to uphold with thousands of chemicals in the PFAS category. They advocate for targeted language that singles out chemicals already known to be dangerous.