The Legislature is currently working on and expected to take up several bills impacting chemicals in products or financial responsibility for handling certain product waste management. Below are the key bills that have been introduced so far, as well as a link to S.20 from the last biennium, which has a deadline for banning PFAS and phthalates from food related packaging coming up July 1 of this year.
If you have an interest in any of these bills specifically, and if you have an interest in the upcoming July 1 food related packaging deadline (especially if you foresee compliance challenges), please contact us at info@aivt.org for more information and to discuss updates and opportunities for engaging on any of these bills or issues.
Active Bills:
H.67: This bill would require that manufacturers of household products containing a hazardous substance participate in a stewardship organization and implement a plan to collect household products containing a hazardous substance free of charge to the public.
H.67 is under active consideration by the House Environment and Energy Committee, which could vote on the bill as early as next Tuesday or later next week.
S.25: This bill proposes to (1) prohibit the manufacture, sale, and distribution in Vermont of cosmetic and menstrual products containing certain chemicals and chemical classes; (2) prohibit the manufacture, sale, and distribution in Vermont of textiles containing perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances; and (3) prohibit the installation of any new athletic turf field containing perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances.
S.25 has had an initial walk through in the Senate Health and Welfare Committee this week, but might not be taken up again until the week after next or later.
Other Key Bills Introduced:
H.152: This bill proposes to prohibit the manufacture, sale, and distribution in Vermont of apparel, cookware, paper products, and pesticides containing PFAS by 2024. It also proposes to prohibit the manufacture, sale, and distribution in Vermont of cosmetic products containing certain chemicals and chemical classes by 2026. This bill proposes to prohibit the manufacture, sale, and distribution of all products containing PFAS by 2030.
H.50: This bill proposes to prohibit the sale, offer for sale, or distribution of a consumer product in the State that has a total organic fluorine concentration of greater than 100 parts per million [if labeled as compostable].
S.44: This bill would require that manufacturers of household products containing a hazardous substance participate in a stewardship organization and implement a plan to collect household products containing a hazardous substance free of charge to the public.
H.158: This bill proposes to expand the scope of beverages subject to the beverage container redemption system to include all drinks in liquid form and intended for human consumption, except for milk, dairy products, plant-based beverages, infant formula, meal replacement drinks, or nonalcoholic cider. The bill would also require all manufacturers and distributors of covered beverages to participate in a producer responsibility organization that shall manage the collection and disposition of beverage containers. In addition, the bill would increase from four cents a container to five cents a container the fee a manufacturer or distributor of a beverage container pays to a retailer or redemption center for redemption of a container of a beverage brand that is not part of a commingling program
Upcoming Compliance Deadline from Previous Legislature:
S.20: This bill proposes to: (1) impose restrictions on the use, manufacture, sale, and distribution of class B firefighting foam containing perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances; (2) impose restrictions on the manufacture, sale, and distribution of food packaging to which perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances, phthalates, or bisphenols have been added; (3) impose restrictions on the manufacture, sale, and distribution of residential rugs, carpets, and aftermarket stain and water resistance treatments to which perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances have been added; (4) impose restrictions on the manufacture, sale, and distribution of ski wax; and (5) include perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances on the list of chemicals of high concern to children.
Under S.20, passed the previous legislature, the deadline for banning food related packaging containing PFAS or phthalates is July 1, 2023.