Proposed bill could ban certain pesticides with PFAS chemicals in Maryland
A proposed bill in Maryland could require the Department of Agriculture to ban certain pesticides and PFAS, or forever chemicals, from being used in the state.
Under House Bill 386, the Department of Agriculture would have to develop a list of certain pesticides that have forever chemicals as active ingredients. Those listed chemicals would not be allowed to be used or sold in the state.
If the bill passes, the Department of Agriculture would need to draft and distribute the list of prohibited chemicals by January 2026.
Those listed chemicals would be prohibited from use at healthcare facilities and schools, and could not be used for residential lawn care or mosquito spraying, according to the proposed legislation.
By June 2027, the department would not be able to register the listed chemicals for sale, and by June 2028, the listed chemicals would be prohibited.
What are PFAS chemicals?
PFAS chemicals are known as forever chemicals because they take thousands of years to break down in the environment.
PFAS (per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances) are used in many settings and have been since the 1940s.
The chemicals are often used to repel water. They can be found in products like car seats, non-stick cookware, cosmetics, pharmaceuticals and clothing.
Research has found that forever chemicals are present in the bloodstreams of most Americans, CBS News reported.
The chemicals are toxic to humans and animals and exposure can cause health impacts. Forever chemicals have been found to enter the body through drinking water.
Forever chemicals in drinking water
The proposed bill comes after President Trump paused federal limits on chemical discharge in drinking water.
The nation's first PFAS regulations were set by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in April 2024. The Safe Drinking Water Act was to be implemented in 2027.
The measure required public water utility providers to test for six different types of PFAS chemicals to reduce exposure in drinking water. In announcing the regulations, the EPA said the standards would reduce PFAS exposure for 100 million people and prevent thousands of deaths and illnesses.
The EPA made $1 billion available to states and territories for public water systems to implement the regulations.
"This is really a tragic setback for water protection throughout America," Adrienne Esposito with Citizens Campaign for the Environment told CBS News. "And this rule would have caused industry to participate in reducing PFAS, and instead, it sends a signal to industry, you can poison us as much as you want."
Forever chemicals in Maryland
Maryland leaders have taken a stand against forever chemicals in recent months.
Just after Mr. Trump halted EPA limits, Maryland Attorney General Anthony Brown joined 17 other states in defending the Safe Water Drinking Act, arguing that it would improve public health.
"This rule permits water systems across the country, including here in Maryland, to regulate and treat these harmful substances," said Attorney General Brown. "By making our drinking water cleaner, this policy safeguards the health of not only our generation but also our children and grandchildren."
In December 2024, the AG sued W.L. Gore & Associates, a manufacturing giant based in Cecil County.
The lawsuit alleged that the company knowingly polluted the air and water with forever chemicals for more than half a century, contaminating drinking water, soil, plants and animals.
CBS News reported that PFAS chemicals are sometimes used in the thin layer of waterproof material found in clothes, and can be found in W.L. Gore's "Gore-tex jackets." However, in 2023, CBS News reported that the company debuted technology that uses non-fluorinated materials and plans to transition "the vast majority of its consumer portfolio by end of 2025."
