For the second year, Maryland lawmakers are trying to limit firefighters’ exposure to PFAS with the George “Walter” Taylor Act.

The bill would ban fire-fighting foam, food packaging, rugs and carpets that contain PFAS. It also would require anyone who sells personal protective equipment that includes PFAS to provide a written notice to the buyer.

PFAS are found in many household items including nonstick pans, stain-resistant furniture and textiles, but also in firefighting foam and firefighter gear. Because PFAS are resistant to water and grease at high temperatures, many manufacturers have incorporated the chemical into their products.

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Distributors of carpets, firefighting foam and food packaging are “intermediaries in the supply chain,” not the manufacturer, Maryland Retailers Association President Cailey Locklair told the committee. Those distributors may not know what exactly is in an item they are selling. It would also be a large lift to require companies to test their products for “hundreds of chemistries” that fall under PFAS, she added.

Click here to read the full article from Maryland Matters.