Bauer’s attempt to prevent broad carve out of toxic PFAS chemicals voted down on party lines
Today, an amendment proposed by State Rep. Maureen Bauer (D-South Bend) that attempted to keep the current definition of PFAS intact in Indiana Code, and protect the essential, medical use of the chemical by manufacturers of life saving medical devices and pharmaceutical drugs, was struck down by House Republicans 66-28. Without this amendment, House Bill 1399 would carve out thousands of PFAS chemicals from being defined as such by the state of Indiana and the environmental rules board.
“In committee last week, we learned that PFAS are commonly used in many medical devices, from foil in MRI, CT, and mammography machines to the very tip of your injectable medicines to help the needle glide in and out of your skin with ease,” Bauer said. “The medical industry has come out to say that they use these chemicals, that there is no commercial alternative at this time, and that they want to continue using them.
“Despite all of us having some level of PFAS in our blood, there are no such thing as 'good' or 'safe' PFAS. My amendment acknowledges that some uses of these chemicals are essential, necessary, and lifesaving. What we cannot do is change the scientific definition of this chemical. Science prevents us from doing that. It is not subject to opinion or interpretation.
“We are fortunate to have two of the leading PFAS scientists in the country living and working in Indiana, Dr. Graham Peaslee and Dr. Marta Venier. The expert, evidence-based testimony confirmed that without my amendment, HB 1399 would exclude the number one chemical responsible for the toxic exposure of firefighters from being defined as PFAS by the environmental rules board. Without this amendment, we will be carving out intentionally added PFAS chemicals that are used in many juvenile products, like bedding and bibs, playmats and carpets, despite there being commercially available alternatives, and despite these chemicals having been linked to delays in child development.
“We can't change what we know: That PFAS have been linked to a number of adverse health effects and are intentionally added to a number of manufactured products. Instead of experimenting with a manmade definition of PFAS, which HB 1399 attempts to do, we can preserve the essential and medical use of PFAS without excluding an entire family of chemicals that are intentionally added to baby products and that are causing cancer to be the leading cause of line-of-duty deaths in firefighters.”