New York Lawmakers Advance PFAS Regulation Bills

Proposed legislation aims to restrict use of harmful 'forever chemicals' in consumer products

Published on Feb. 16, 2026

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New York state lawmakers are making progress on several bills to regulate the use of PFAS, or 'forever chemicals', in consumer products like beauty items, dental floss, and household goods. This comes alongside a proposed moratorium on using PFAS-containing biosolids as farm fertilizer. Advocates say the chemicals, long known to be toxic, were allowed to proliferate for decades due to secrecy from manufacturers like DuPont and 3M.

Why it matters

PFAS chemicals have been linked to serious health issues like cancer and developmental problems, especially in children. With reports showing PFAS contamination in over half of New York's water systems, the state is expected to face billions in healthcare costs related to PFAS exposure. Passing these regulations could help mitigate the public health and environmental impacts of these 'forever chemicals'.

The details

The New York legislature is considering several bills to ban or restrict PFAS in various consumer products, including beauty items, dental floss, and other household goods. This builds on previous state laws prohibiting PFAS in clothing, firefighting foam, and food packaging. While the State Senate has passed two PFAS-related bills this month, getting them through the Assembly remains a challenge due to opposition from industries like non-stick cookware manufacturers.

  • In the last few years, New York has passed legislation to ban PFAS in clothing, firefighting foam, and food packaging.
  • The State Senate passed two PFAS regulation bills in February 2026.

The players

Kate Donovan

Northeast regional director for environmental health at the Natural Resources Defense Council.

DuPont

A major manufacturer of PFAS chemicals that allegedly knew about the health risks but kept them secret for decades.

3M

Another major PFAS manufacturer that allegedly concealed information about the chemicals' toxicity.

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What they’re saying

“The manufacturers of these chemicals, DuPont and 3M, they knew for a very long time that these were dangerous, toxic chemicals, but never reported it and kept it secret. So, it allowed these chemicals to continue to be produced for decades and to be put into the marketplace without a lot of knowledge about its health concerns.”

— Kate Donovan, Northeast regional director for environmental health, Natural Resources Defense Council (fingerlakes1.com)

“A conservative estimate was between $2.7 and $4.4 billion dollars, the state is expected to spend on health care related to PFAS contamination.”

— Kate Donovan, Northeast regional director for environmental health, Natural Resources Defense Council (fingerlakes1.com)

What’s next

The proposed PFAS regulation bills must still pass the New York State Assembly after being approved by the Senate.

The takeaway

New York's efforts to restrict PFAS chemicals in consumer products and agricultural practices aim to address the significant public health and environmental costs associated with these 'forever chemicals'. However, the legislation faces ongoing industry opposition, underscoring the challenges of regulating widely used yet toxic substances.