Lawmakers fight to ban dangerous chemicals blamed in woman's tragic death: 'Happens far too often'

In preparation for one of the most aggressive PFAS laws in the United States to take effect in 2032, lawmakers in Minnesota are assessing the best way to establish an evaluation process that will determine whether products will be prohibited by then.

NaturalRefrigerants.com explained that Amara's Law was passed in Minnesota in 2023 and named after Amara Strande, a 20-year-old woman who died from cancer linked to exposure to PFAS, which are per- and polyfluoralkyl substances also known as "forever chemicals" because they do not break down in the environment. Strande advocated for the bill in a letter and spoke to the Minnesota legislature in March 2023, just a month before her death.

PFAS have been linked to several health concerns, including cancer, fertility issues, and increased risks of asthma and thyroid disease. Strande explained in her letter that much of the public is being exposed to these chemicals without even knowing it.

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"Unfortunately, people being subjected to dangerous chemicals unknowingly happens far too often. It's a repeated offense that has festered in our land, water, and bodies for decades," Strande wrote. "And despite public knowledge of said environmental waste dumping, little has been done to clean up or hold those deemed responsible for the deadly cause and effect that has robbed my community."

Amara's Law bans nonessential uses of PFAS, and parts of the law are already beginning to be implemented this year. Minnesota crafted a list of 11 categories of new consumer products sold or distributed in the state that will need to be made without PFAS such as carpeting, cleaning products, children's products, dental floss, and cookware.

In 2032, the law will prohibit nonessential uses of PFAS in products like refrigerants and pesticides. However, a product would still be able to be made with the chemicals if they are determined to be "essential" or a "currently unavoidable use," hence the need for an evaluation process.

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"By 2032 [any PFAS] that is nonessential for the health, safety and functioning society will be banned in Minnesota," said Avonna Starck, Minnesota state director of Clean Water Action, a Washington, D.C.-based nongovernmental organization that was instrumental in passing Amara's Law, per NaturalRefrigerants.com. "So if there is a manufacturer that is producing something — and that would include refrigerants — and they want to make the argument that it's essential, they will have to go through an exemption process with the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency."

Amara's Law hasn't been without its obstacles, as Starck wrote in a blog that Minnesota has been "seeing a flurry of exemption requests, attempts to change the definition of PFAS, and various tactics to delay implementation." Still, it was noted that Strande's story and the law have "attracted international attention," and her sister Nora has continued the fight by lobbying for stronger PFAS laws at the federal level in Washington.

"So the family is still involved in this work and still really active in carrying on Amara's legacy," Starck told NaturalRefrigerants.com. "Amara really made this happen."