PROVIDENCE —  Legislation  sponsored by Sen. Walter S. Felag and Rep. June S. Speakman to prohibit the manufacture, sale or distribution of any firefighting personal protective equipment containing intentionally added PFAS chemicals in Rhode Island passed the General Assembly on Tuesday, June 3.

The legislation now heads to the governor for consideration. The ban would take effect Jan. 1, 2027.

The legislation (2025-S 0241, 2025-H 5019) is considered to be one more step in protecting Rhode Islanders from PFAS — per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances — toxic “forever chemicals” that are now in water supplies, air and in the blood of nearly every American.

“Firefighters already selflessly put their lives on the line to help and protect our residents, and they should not be further put at risk due to toxic safety gear. As we learn more about the potential dangers of PFAS chemicals, it is imperative that we eliminate the presence of these toxic chemicals from our daily lives, and this bill will protect current and future heroes from being poisoned by forever chemicals,” said Felag (D-Dist. 10, Warren, Bristol, Tiverton).

Effective this year, Rhode Island banned PFAS from Class B firefighting foam. Firefighting foam has been the cause at least two PFAS contamination incidents in Rhode Island.

The ban of PFAS in firefighting foam was part of a broader bill (2024-H 7356Aaa, 2024-S 2152A) that will also ban PFAS from most consumer products sold or manufactured in Rhode Island by Jan. 1, 2027, with additional products added to the ban on Jan. 1, 2029.

“While we still don’t know the full effects that PFAS can have on human health and the environment, we know enough about some of its health risks and about the pervasive way it stays in our bodies that we should not be tolerating its needless use in products,” said Speakman (D-Dist. 68, Warren, Bristol). “This legislation will ensure that firefighters, who are already putting themselves in harm’s way for the sake of public safety, are not further endangered by being exposed to toxic chemicals in their gear.”

PFAS chemicals are ubiquitous in a wide range of consumer products, including nonstick cookware, cosmetics, carpets, stain-, water- or wrinkle-resistant fabrics and much more.

Often referred to as “forever chemicals” for their staying power in nature, PFAS are manmade chemicals that have been used in industry and consumer products since the 1940s. Although the extent of their risks to health are not fully known, they have been linked to cancer and many other health problems.

According to a study published in 2021 and an open letter from 171 scientists, PFAS compounds have been shown to have a wide range of adverse effects on human health, including altered immune and thyroid function, liver disease, kidney disease, adverse reproductive and developmental outcomes and cancer.