This legislation would require fire departments and firefighters be notified if their gear and equipment contains PFAS. Two years after enactment, firefighting equipment and gear containing PFAS would be banned in Massachusetts.

PFAS, or Polyfluoroalkyl substances, is a class designation that includes nearly 10,000 chemicals used to make everyday items waterproof, fire resistant, or non-stick. These chemicals have become ubiquitous in products ranging from cookware to firefighting equipment to children’s toys, despite posing dangerous health risks. Even at low levels, the toxicity of PFAS chemicals can be devastating — increasing the risk of cancer, immunosuppression, birth defects, colitis, and other diseases. Compounding these dangers is the persistent nature of PFAS chemicals, known as “forever chemicals” for their resistance to breaking down in the environment.