Wisconsin Attorney General Joins Coalition Calling Senate to Pass Legislation Regarding "Forever" Chemicals

Saturday, November 12th, 2022 -- 9:00 AM

Attorney General Josh Kaul joined a coalition of 18 attorneys general in calling on the U.S. Senate to pass a Fiscal Year 2023 National Defense Authorization Act with needed protections to combat exposures to poly- and perfluoroalkyl “forever” chemicals, a class of highly toxic and environmentally persistent chemicals that pose serious threats to public health, in communities across the country.

In a letter sent Tuesday, the coalition urges Senate leaders to provide the U.S. Department of Defense with the tools necessary to conduct remediation and removal of PFAS contamination to protect public health and the environment.

States across the country are currently spending tens of millions of dollars to fight the serious health dangers PFAS contamination poses, and the threat to the public and the environment from the chemicals is growing.

In the letter, the coalition endorses the Senate Armed Services Committee’s conclusion that to effectively address the persistence and toxicity of PFAS chemicals, we need a “whole-of-government” approach.

PFAS are man-made chemicals that have been used to produce countless consumer products since the 1940s, including textiles with Scotchgard™; Teflon™ products, including non-stick cookware; food packaging; and waterproof clothing.

Firefighting-foam-containing PFAS has also been used for decades by the U.S. military, airports, industrial facilities, and local fire departments. PFAS are estimated to be detectable in the blood stream of 99 percent of the U.S. population. PFAS are highly toxic to humans and animals and extremely resistant to degradation in the environment, that is why PFAS are known as “forever chemicals.”

Exposure to various PFAS, including through contaminated water supplies, can lead to serious health issues, including decreased antibody responses to vaccines, increased risk of childhood infections, developmental issues for children, decreased birthweight, testicular and kidney cancers, ulcerative colitis, liver damage, and thyroid disease.

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