Healthy Indoors | 47
Amy Ziff is founder and executive
director of MADE SAFE®, America's
first nontoxic certification verifying that
everyday household products, rang-
ing from baby to beauty and furniture
to fashion items, are made with safe
ingredients not known to harm human
health or ecosystems. The goal is to
use the marketplace to bring about
change to eliminate the use of harmful
ingredients and materials. She regu-
larly writes about the chemical world
we live in at www.madesafe.org and
speaks at events around the world.
• Think twice:
• When using to-go containers.
That paper-like material wrap-
ping processed foods is likely
coated with perfluorinated chem-
icals. Consider bringing glass or
stainless-steel food containers.
• When selecting dental floss look
for natural and uncoated floss.
• Make popcorn the old-fashioned
way in a pot on the stove or use
an air-popper instead of pre-pack-
aged microwave popcorn, which is
coated so it doesn't catch on fire.
the start of what will be a slow process
to ultimately clean up, and limit further
PFAS contamination.
Regulating PFAS has been an area
of increased scrutiny by both federal and
state governments. Without a national
requirement on PFAS regulation, each
state can adopt different policies. That
makes it incredibly difficult for all constit-
uencies, but this handy chart, along with
this legislative tracking resource, shows
what individual states are doing.
In 2016, the EPA issued a health
advisory for PFOA and PFOS contam-
ination in water. EPA suggested a limit
of no more than 70 parts per trillion in
water. Currently, this limit stands as a
mere suggestion for states to monitor
and enact, if desired.
It's important to learn about what's
happening in your state. For example,
in Maine where the Department of the
Environment is actively testing and
assessing the state's challenges with
PFAS, they have been able to estab-
lish the first state law to ban the sale
of PFAS chemicals. While it doesn't
take effect for years, it's setting an
example for other states, and putting
companies on notice.
To find out what's happening in your
state, the Environmental Council of the
States provides advisories for states.
While some states are beginning to
take these actions, I would argue that
our government is far too slow to act
on harmful chemicals.
WHAT TO DO ABOUT PFAS
CHEMICALS IN YOUR HOME: Write
your elected officials at every level
and let them know you want a ban
on PFAS and all classes of forever
chemicals. Until, or unless, we know
they're 100 percent safe, we shouldn't
be forced to ingest them, use them, or
interact with them.
Vote with your wallet to avoid
PFAS chemicals in:
Stain-repellant furniture, rugs, and
household items
• Stain-resistant and waterproof
clothing
• All nonstick cookware
TELL THE EPA: STOP THE CHEMICAL INDUSTRY'S
ATTEMPTS TO CRIPPLE OUR TOXICS LAW