Legislative Updates Worth Celebrating! 

Debra Erenberg Interim Co-Director at WVE

Legislative Updates Worth Celebrating!

As we move into the summer months, many state legislatures have wrapped up their work for the year. Across the country, we’ve seen more awareness of toxic chemicals and their impact on our health, with states leading the way in adopting protective policies when it comes to period products and other intimate care. Here are some highlights: 

• Colorado (where WVE’s headquarters are located) enacted legislation to restrict the use of PFAS “forever chemicals” in menstrual products, as well as apparel, cosmetics, dental floss, ski wax, nonstick cookware, food equipment and more.  It also disallows the installation of artificial turf with PFAS on state property. 
• Connecticut approved a ban on the sale or distribution of menstrual products and other consumer items with intentionally added PFAS.   
• Maine also enacted PFAS legislation. Beginning January 1, 2026, the state will prohibit PFAS in menstrual products, cleaning products, cookware, cosmetics, dental floss, juvenile products, textile articles, ski wax, and upholstered furniture. Beginning January 1, 2029, the state will prohibit PFAS in artificial turf, outdoor apparel for extreme weather conditions, and certain refrigerants.   
• New York approved a WVE-backed bill requiring ingredient disclosure on diaper packaging. This bill was modeled on NY’s groundbreaking menstrual product ingredient disclosure law, which helped WVE identify previously undisclosed potentially harmful chemicals in period products. 
• New York’s bill banning the use of toxic substances in menstrual products passed the state senate without any opposing votes but didn’t make it out of the assembly before time ran out on the session. The clock also ran out on other bills backed by WVE and our partners in NY, but we laid some solid groundwork for next session! 
• In Rhode Island, the General Assembly passed the Consumer PFAS Ban Act of 2024, which bans the intentional addition of PFAS to consumer products (including menstrual products) sold or manufactured in Rhode Island by January 1, 2027, and would ban all uses of almost all PFAS by Dec. 31, 2032.   
• Vermont enacted a law prohibiting the manufacture or sale of menstrual products and other consumer items containing several toxic chemicals. 

We’re still watching – and advocating for! – bills in California, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and Pennsylvania that similarly call for safer menstrual and personal care products. If you live in one of those states, contact your state representatives to urge them to support these important measures! 

Because companies don’t generally reformulate their products to sell in different states, these state laws will likely make products sold across the country safer for all of us. Count on WVE to monitor companies’ compliance with these new requirements and to keep the pressure on until we know for sure that menstrual products and other intimate care products are safe for everyone! 

Stay informed: WVE’s Menstrual Equity Bill Tracker makes it easy for you to track bills currently under consideration in your state legislature.