Henry Ingwersen Courtesy photo
Since the discovery of the first PFAS-contaminated farm — Stoneridge Farm in Arundel in 2017 — Maine has been leading the way when it comes to dealing with the issue of PFAS contamination. We have passed several bills to require testing, set standards in our drinking water, and provide resources to our hard-hit farming community.
This legislation has focused heavily on legacy contamination due to the spreading of sludge on hundreds of locations throughout Maine over many years, which is important. This is what I call “the back end,” the place where the PFAS used in so many products ends up — on land, in crops, in water, in our bodies. But work is also needed at “the front end,” focusing on the PFAS-containing products we all buy and use, in order to prevent further contamination in the state and to protect the health and environment of all Mainers.
That is why, in 2021, the legislature passed a first-in-the-world source-reduction bill, LD 1503, that phases out all non-essential uses of PFAS in products and requires manufacturers who use PFAS in their products to report that information to the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP). This bipartisan legislation allows the state to track what products are coming into Maine that contain PFAS and to prioritize which product categories to phase out the usage of, moving to products that don’t contain PFAS, to help prevent further contamination.
As the DEP began to work on the implementation of LD 1503, it became apparent that the law needed some updates to make implementation easier. That is why I am sponsoring LD 1537, “An Act to Amend the Laws Relating to the Prevention of Perfluoroalkyl and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances Pollution and to Provide Additional Funding.” The bill, with its tongue-twisting title, amends the current law regarding PFAS in products and will ban PFAS in several product categories outright such as dental floss, cookware, outerwear, and juvenile products, meaning items meant to be used by infants and children under the age of 12 years.
Since the discovery of the first PFAS-contaminated farm — Stoneridge Farm in Arundel in 2017 — Maine has been leading the way when it comes to dealing with the issue of PFAS contamination, wrote Sen. Henry Ingwersen. Gregory Rec file/Press Herald
The updates will take some pressure off the resource-limited DEP and allow them to focus on product categories that need more review. There will also be limited exemptions from reporting for product categories that are banned outright. This will make reporting easier while maintaining the reporting framework of the original law. This means we’re cutting a bit of red tape while keeping vital consumer protections in place.
Reporting is essential in order for the state to understand what other products containing PFAS are coming into the state. This will help prioritize phasing PFAS out of those products to prevent contamination. The bill also includes a funding request to provide much-needed resources to the DEP to help with implementation and extends the deadline for reporting to Jan. 1, 2026, to harmonize with other states that have similar laws. LD 1537 is necessary to help successfully phase-out toxic PFAS from products coming into our state.
An all-hands-on-deck approach is what is required in order to solve the complicated and pervasive problem of PFAS contamination. I will continue to work alongside fellow legislators, farmers, nonprofit organizations, government, and universities towards a cleaner, toxic-free Maine. We can do this.
If you have any questions about the information here or would like to reach out with a comment, question or concern, you can reach out to me any time. If you want to stay up to date on what we’re working on in Augusta, please sign up for my email newsletter at mainesenate.org or visit my Facebook page at www.facebook.com/IngwersenForMaine.
Henry Ingwersen represents Senate District 32 which is made up of Arundel, Biddeford, Dayton, Hollis and Lyman. He can be reached at Henry.Ingwersen@legislature.maine.gov or 207-287-1515.
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