SPAN OP-ED: Why Sustainable PFAS Management is Essential to Secure Minnesota’s Future
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
January 22, 2024
Contact: media@span.org
WASHINGTON - Kevin Fay, Executive Director of the Sustainable PFAS Action Network (SPAN), detailed how Minnesota can responsibly manage per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) under the state’s new law banning non-essential uses of PFAS. Fay’s new op-ed in the MinnPost addresses why using a risk-based approach to sustainably manage PFAS is essential to enhance public health and safety while preserving the societal and economic advancements made possible by these versatile compounds.
Excerpts from “Not all PFAS are the same; it’s now the MPCA’s job to define which are essential to Minnesotans’ health and economy”:
When Governor Tim Walz signed HF 2310 into law last year, it was described by some observers as the most restrictive PFAS legislation in the nation. Beginning in 2032, a ban on non-essential uses of perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances, also known as PFAS, will go into effect.
Although the bill exempts the use of PFAS in items considered essential to health and safety, and for which no alternatives currently exist, the challenge that exists now will be identifying and preserving the uses of PFAS that are essential to Minnesotans’ livelihoods and critical to the state’s economy. The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency has been tasked with this important role of defining a “currently unavoidable use” of PFAS.
...It is critical to follow EPA’s lead in prioritizing commercially active compounds. Many of these make notable contributions to society that cannot be ignored, while some have been thoroughly tested and found to be acceptable for human use. For example, pharmaceutical and medical products industries use and manufacture many life-saving products dependent on PFAS compounds. We can credit the treatment of COVID-19 in large part to FDA-approved pharmaceuticals (such as Paxlovid) that contain PFAS as the active ingredient. In addition, antidepressants and certain cardiovascular medications that utilize PFAS as a pharmaceutical ingredient provide lifesaving care to countless Americans each year.
… Beyond the societal benefits we see from the responsible use of PFAS, we must acknowledge the economic impact. A recent study conducted by Inforum found that PFAS-related industries in Minnesota – including aerospace, batteries, refrigeration and air conditioning, automobiles, medicine and pharmaceuticals, and semiconductors – helped support over 26,000 jobs and contributed over $4.3 billion to state GDP. Because no viable alternative for PFAS exists for many industrial and consumer applications, a risk-based approach must be considered when classifying compounds as essential versus non-essential so that Minnesota maintains its economic strength.
Importantly, the Minnesota statute does require the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency to prioritize its actions according to risk. That is a positive policy advancement. But the law does not specify the stepwise approach for implementation. The agency needs to clarify this to make for a rational process, focusing first on consumer products, and identifying a schedule if and when it may turn to the important industrial uses. This analysis should first focus on key issues such as identified risks, volumes and emissivity.
ABOUT SPAN
Formed in 2021, SPAN supports science- and risk-based policy approaches that recognize the unique differences of PFAS. Recognizing the essential role of PFAS compounds in enabling economic prosperity, delivering lifesaving equipment and medicine, climate change mitigation, and national security, among many other important applications, SPAN is committed to their sustainable use and responsible management.
Find more information about SPAN and how America’s innovators and industries depend on the responsible management of PFAS compounds at www.span.org.
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