State poised to ban common household items over health concerns: 'Preventing contamination'

Many items you use every day contain forever chemicals that don't break down. 

They're frequently used in manufacturing because they help make products resistant to grease, water, and stains. While they can be useful, they are also harmful. 

Now, New Mexico is poised to become the third state with a near-complete ban on the forever chemicals called perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances, or PFAS. 

According to The Hill, two bills passed the state Legislature and will be sent to the governor's desk to ban these harmful chemicals. Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham is expected to sign them. 

The first bill, the Per- and Poly-fluoroalkyl Substances Protection Act, "would ban products that contain intentionally added PFAS and would authorize the state's Environmental Improvement Board to adopt relevant rules," per The Hill. 

Starting Jan. 1, 2027, companies would no longer be able to sell products to which PFAS have been intentionally added, including food packaging, cookware, juvenile products, and dental floss. 

Other items, such as cosmetics, menstrual products, carpets, and textiles, will be banned starting Jan. 1, 2028. 

The second bill, "Hazardous Waste Constituent" Definition, "would redefine hazardous waste as 'any solid waste or combination of solid wastes' that because of its amount, concentration or characteristics could 'cause or significantly contribute to an increase in mortality or an increase in serious irreversible or incapacitating reversible illness,'" per The Hill.

The banning of products containing PFAS is excellent news given that they are linked to several cancers. 

According to the National Cancer Institute, PFAS exposure has been linked to kidney cancer, testicular cancer, breast cancer, ovarian cancer, endometrial cancer, prostate cancer, non-Hodgkin lymphoma, thyroid cancer, and childhood leukemia.

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The problem with forever chemicals is that they break down very slowly. They end up not only in the products you buy but also in the environment. 

The Environmental Protection Agency says PFAS can also be found in drinking water, in soil and water near landfills, and in food, such as fish caught in contaminated water.

While states such as New Mexico are moving toward bans on PFAS, there are things you can do to keep yourself and your family safe. For example, you can choose products without toxins. You can also use less plastic, as many plastic products contain these harmful chemicals. 

According to The Hill, a New Mexico Environment Department analysis found that removing one pound of forever chemicals from water could cost $18 million.

However, the analysis added, "With approximately 1,100 public drinking water systems in New Mexico serving 94 percent of our residents, preventing contamination is the only affordable means of securing our drinking water supply."

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