NEWS RELEASE
Rep. Jeff Brand
Minnesota House of Representatives
District 18A – 651-296-8634– rep.jeff.brand@house.mn.gov
Centennial Office Building, St. Paul, MN 55155
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT: Marlee Schlegel
651-296-9873 or marlee.schlegel@house.mn.gov
December 30, 2024
Minnesota Ban on PFAS Goes Into Effect
SAINT PAUL, Minn. - On Wednesday, the first wave of prohibitions on products with intentionally added PFAS will go into effect under Amara’s Law. Polyfluoroalkyl substances, known as PFAS, are cancer-causing “forever chemicals” that are commonly used in many everyday products. Beginning January 1, consumer products spanning 11 categories will be banned from sale if they contain non-essential, intentionally added PFAS.
The bill was authored by Rep. Jeff Brand (DFL – Saint Peter).
“Minnesota families should not have to worry about bringing cancer-causing forever chemicals into their home every time they purchase dental floss or personal hygiene products,” said Rep. Brand. “Amara's Law going into effect means Minnesota is taking a vital step towards turning off the tap on PFAS. I’m incredibly grateful to have seen Amara’s Law through during my time in the legislature. This is a big deal for the health and safety of Minnesota families, and I’m incredibly proud to have made this positive impact on our great state.”
Intentionally added PFAS will be prohibited in products that fall under 11 categories:
- carpets or rugs
- cleaning products
- cookware
- cosmetics
- dental floss
- fabric treatments
- juvenile products
- menstruation products
- textile furnishings
- ski wax
- upholstered furniture
The prohibition also applies to certain types of packaging used with the products above.
The nation-leading law, enacted during the 2023 legislative session, includes the PFAS Prevention Package, which is made up of multiple pieces of legislation setting water standards and banning non-essential PFAS use in a variety of products. The PFAS-related pieces of the bill are honorarily named “Amara’s Law” in honor of Amara Strande, a young woman from Oakdale who spent the final months of her life advocating for this legislation. Amara died days before the bill passage of a rare form of cancer caused by PFAS. She was 20 years old.
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