Scott introduces bill banning forever chemicals in cosmetics, menstrual products
Pennsylvania House Democratic Caucus January 15, 2026 | 10:58 AM
HARRISBURG, Jan. 15 — New legislation introduced today by state Rep. Greg Scott, D-Montgomery, may soon ban PFAS forever chemicals from high contact products like cosmetics, dental floss, children’s products, and menstrual pads and tampons.
PFAS, or per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, are synthetic chemicals linked to a range of serious health risks, including cancer, immune system suppression, pregnancy-related hypertension, reduced fertility, and more. They’re found in many daily-use household products.
“People are becoming more aware of PFAS contamination in drinking water because of runoff from firefighting foams used at airports and military bases,” said Scott. “What many may not realize is that PFAS are not exclusively used in these foams – they’re widely used by manufacturers of many of the products we use every single day.
“We introduced this legislation with a focus on some of the products that have perhaps the most direct contact – cosmetics, many of which people use directly on the skin of their faces, eyes, and around their mouths, juvenile products that babies and toddlers are likely to mouth as they teethe and explore the world, dental floss, and menstrual pads and tampons. Every time a person uses one of these products, they’re exposed to the PFAS they’re made with. Over a lifetime, that’s a significant increase in health risk caused by doing simple, everyday things.”
State Rep. Natalie Mihalek, R-Allegheny/Washington, a co-sponsor of the bill, applauded Scott’s bipartisan engagement on this broad-reaching legislation.
“Forever chemicals got their name for a reason, and like other harmful chemicals in our everyday products, there’s no plausible way to avoid them,” Mihalek said. “From ultra-processed food ingredients to pesticides to PFAS, while I am glad these threats are gaining more attention, Pennsylvanians deserve real action. I’m glad to work with Rep. Scott on this much-needed, bipartisan effort.”
An additional concern with PFAS-containing products is that once they enter a landfill, they break down and contaminate groundwater, putting nearby drinking water supplies at risk of contamination.
House Bill 2145 would ban the use of PFAS in the manufacture of cosmetics, dental floss, juvenile products, and menstrual products, and is introduced with bipartisan support. The bill would provide manufacturers with time to adjust to the new requirements.
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