California bill to limit PFAS in textiles passed in the Senate

On September 12, 2022, Assembly Bill 1817 (AB 1817) passed in the California state Senate. The bill would prohibit the sale of many types of clothing and textiles that contain PFAS at or above a level of 300 parts per billion starting in 2025. The bill specifically requires manufacturers of covered products that remove PFAS from products to utilize the “least toxic alternative” when identifying the PFAS substitute. In addition, all manufacturers would be required to report to the state all PFAS-containing products that they import into the state of California. Vehicle component parts, PPE, military clothing, filters used in industrial applications, and lab clothing are exempted from following the requirements. The bill has now been sent to the Governor for signing and final approval.