WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Gary Peters (MI), Chairman of the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, introduced bipartisan legislation to ensure that all federal agencies are purchasing products that are free of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) that continue to threaten the health and safety of people across the nation. Current law prohibits the Department of Defense (DoD) from procuring various products that contain certain types of PFAS, and this bill would extend those restrictions to all federal agencies. The federal government owns several facilities in Michigan, including hospitals operated by the Department of Veterans Affairs and Customs and Border Facilities, and a Social Security Administration Building. These facilities employ more than 27,000 federal workers and are frequently visited veterans, seniors and others. Requiring federal agencies to stop procuring products that contain PFAS will help protect these individuals from being exposed to toxic PFAS chemicals.
“PFAS substances that are found in everyday items continue to threaten the health and safety of our communities,” said Senator Peters. “This bill will set the federal government on a path to a PFAS-free future, and help protect the Michiganders and Americans who rely on federal facilities for critical services from unnecessary exposure to these toxic chemicals.”
PFAS are a class of more than 4,700 highly-fluorinated man-made chemicals that have been widely used in industry and consumer products due to their ability to repel water, oil, and heat. Over the last few decades, emerging science has shown that PFAS have an adverse impact on human health and the environment. PFAS exposure has been linked to a number of detrimental health effects, including an increased risk of cancer, damage to the immune system, decreased fertility, birth defects, liver disease, and thyroid disease.
The PFAS-free Procurement Act would extend DoD’s sensible procurement restrictions on certain types of products containing PFAS across the federal government. Specifically, this bill would prohibit the heads of executive agencies from procuring cookware, utensils, carpets, furniture, and other items that contain certain PFAS substances. This bill would also require heads of executive agencies to prioritize the procurement of PFAS-free products where available.
Peters has led congressional efforts to address PFAS contamination in Michigan and across the country. Earlier this year, Peters reintroduced bipartisan legislation to expand federal research to effectively address PFAS contamination. Peters supported or led provisions in the 2019 national defense bill banning the DoD from purchasing firefighting foams containing PFAS. The bill also immediately prohibited the use of firefighting foams containing PFAS in military training exercises, and enhanced state cooperation with the DoD to clean up PFAS contamination stemming from military-related activities. In September 2018, Peters helped convene the first hearing on PFAS in the Senate, assessing the federal response to contamination and remediation. He then convened a field summit in Grand Rapids in November 2018 to shine a light on how the local, state and federal governments are coordinating their response to PFAS.
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