BIG NEWS: Our bill to ban PFAS and other toxic chemicals from menstrual products sold in New York State has passed both houses – unanimously! This is a big win for our JustGreen Partnership, which has a long track record of passing legislation to reduce toxic exposure in our communities. We will continue our advocacy to make sure New York State Governor Kathy Hochul signs it into law. We also will continue our advocacy for the Beauty Justice Act, which will ban toxic chemicals from personal care products in New York State.
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Menstrual products are often in direct contact with some of the most sensitive and absorbent parts of our body. And, on average, a woman spends as much as seven years menstruating over the course of their lifetime. Yet millions of people who menstruate are unknowingly exposed to toxic chemicals in their menstrual products.
Menstrual products are often in direct contact with some of the most sensitive and absorbent parts of our body. And, on average, a woman spends as much as seven years menstruating over the course of their lifetime. Yet millions of people who menstruate are unknowingly exposed to toxic chemicals in their menstrual products.
Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) – also known as “forever chemicals” – have been found in tampons, pads, and other menstrual care items. These chemicals have been linked to serious health risks, including hormonal disruption that affects reproductive health, increased risk of cancer, immune system suppression, and birth defects and pregnancy complications.
New York State passed the Period Products Labeling Act into law in 2019, requiring manufacturers selling menstrual products in the state to clearly disclose their ingredients on the packaging. WE ACT – along with our colleagues in the JustGreen Partnership – heled pass this legislation.
Despite this progress toward ingredient transparency, PFAS is still being used in menstrual products, leaving millions exposed to these harmful chemicals that remain in our body for abnormally long periods of time. Low-income communities and communities of color are disproportionately impacted, as they often have fewer options for safer alternatives.
That is why, as part of our Beauty Inside Out campaign, we are advocating for legislation (S.1548/A.1502) that would ban PFAS and other harmful chemicals from menstrual products sold in New York State. This legislation will prohibit the use of PFAS and other toxic chemicals in menstrual products, ensure clear ingredient labeling, protect public health – particularly in communities of color, which are already burdened with disproportionate exposure to toxic chemicals – and hold manufacturers accountable for product safety.