Bill > S1042

Introduced Session

This bill would prohibit the sale of certain products containing intentionally added perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), require greater transparency in the labeling of cookware products containing PFAS, establish a source reduction program concerning the proper management of PFAS, and appropriate money for PFAS-related research. As defined in the bill, "PFAS" means substances that include any member of the class of fluorinated organic chemicals containing at least one fully fluorinated carbon atom. Specifically, the bill would prohibit, beginning two years after the bill's effective date, the sale, offer for sale, or distribution of cosmetics, carpets, fabric treatment, and food packaging that contain intentionally added PFAS. In addition, the bill would require, beginning two years after the bill's effective date, manufacturers of cookware sold in the State that contains intentionally added PFAS in the handle of the product or in any product surface that comes into contact with food, foodstuffs, or beverages to list the presence of PFAS on the product label. Beginning two years after the bill's effective date, the sale, offer for sale, and distribution of cookware that contains PFAS would be prohibited unless the cookware product and the manufacturer of the cookware has complied with the bill's cookware labeling requirements. The bill would also require the DEP to recommend to the Legislature products, in addition to those prohibited from being sold, offered for sale, or distributed pursuant to the bill, by category or use that should not be sold, offered for sale, or distributed for sale in this State if they contain intentionally added PFAS. Under the bill, the DEP would have the authority to audit or investigate a manufacturer to assess the manufacturer's compliance with bill's provisions. The bill would provide that any proprietary information or trade secrets included in any written notification, certification, or any other record submitted to the DEP pursuant to the bill would be required to be kept confidential from the general public pursuant to P.L.1963, c.73 (C.47:1A-1 et seq.), commonly known as the open public records act. The bill would require the DEP to establish, no later than one year after the bill's effective date, a source reduction program to reduce the presence of PFAS in the State's air, water, and soil by encouraging the proper management of materials that contain PFAS and the use of safer alternatives. The program would be required to include certain items enumerated in subsection a. of section 12 of the bill. The bill would also require the DEP to conduct PFAS-related research and comprehensive monitoring and testing of the presence and impact of PFAS on the environmental media within the State, including air, water, biota, and soil. The DEP's research would be required to include certain items enumerated in subsection b. of section 13 of the bill. No later than two years after the bill's effective date, and annually thereafter, the DEP would be required to submit a report to the Governor and the Legislature summarizing their research findings and activities and providing recommendations for programs, policies, and legislation to address the presence of PFAS in the State. Finally, the bill would appropriate $5 million to the DEP for the purposes of implementing the source reduction program, conducting PFAS-related research, and monitoring and testing environmental media, such as air, water, and soil, for PFAS pursuant to the bill.

Committee Categories

Linda Greenstein (D)*,  Bob Smith (D)*,  Patrick Diegnan (D),  Troy Singleton (D),  Shirley Turner (D), 

Senate Environment and Energy Hearing (10:00:00 6/12/2025 Committee Room 10, 3rd Floor, State House Annex, Trenton, NJ) (on 06/12/2025)

Official Document