NH Senate passes ban of PFAS in certain consumer products: 'We got it done'
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CONCORD — The New Hampshire Senate passed a bill to address the “critical” issue of PFAS contamination on Wednesday.
HB 1649 would ban the sale of certain consumer products containing intentionally added per-and polyfluoroalkyl substances, also known as forever chemicals, effective Jan. 1, 2027. The products would include things like adult mattresses, carpets and food packaging. It passed the Senate unanimously in a voice vote.
“This is an extraordinary accomplishment. At last, we are going to protect the people of New Hampshire from PFAS: At last, people of Merrimack, people down along the Seacoast and everywhere else where PFAS has been found,” said Sen. David Watters, D-Dover, on the Senate floor, referencing locations where water has been contaminated. “We did it, we got it done.”
Watters and Sen. Debra Altschiller, D-Stratham, released a statement following the vote praising the outcome. They said that when PFAS chemicals build up in the human body, they may cause health problems including decreased fertility, developmental delays in children, and increased risk of some cancers.
“HB 1649 carves out necessary exemptions and creates an on-ramp for this prohibition that will mitigate the impact on manufacturers while moving our consumer products away from these dangerous chemicals,” they wrote. “This is a reasonable, but deeply important bipartisan bill that will protect the future health of Granite Staters, and we are pleased to see it pass the Senate today.”
More: EPA sets strict new PFAS limits; Portsmouth confirms it must lower levels in water
A bipartisan accomplishment
The bill passed the House in early April. It had faced some opposition from Republicans who took issue with what was banned and thought implementation of the law would be too challenging. But it ultimately passed both houses with wide bipartisan support.
Sen. Kevin Avard, R-Nashua, praised prime sponsor Rep. Karen Ebel, D-New London, calling her a “hound dog.”
“She hounded me on this and she worked her tail off to get this passed,” Avard said. “I think she should get the legislator award for the year.”
Sen. Donna Soucy, D-Manchester, said this is “the most profound piece of waste legislation this body could pass in a bipartisan way.”
The bill passed with an amendment filed by Watters and Avard, which Watters said brings the bill back to Ebel's original intention. It will need go back to the House one more time before heading to New Hampshire Gov. Chris Sununu’s desk.
Editor's note: Sen. Debra Altschiller, D-Stratham, is the wife of Howard Altschiller, Seacoast Media Group's executive editor.
This article originally appeared on Portsmouth Herald: NH Senate passes ban of PFAS in certain consumer products
