Must Read | PFAS THERE’S A REGULATORY ISSUE ON THE HORIZON that practically every company operating in the promotional merchandise market is going to have to deal with. And that horizon isn’t evenly distributed. For some, they’ve already reached it, and for others it’s in the short- or medium-term distance. But it’s coming, and most of us are going to have to contend with it, one way or another. There are more than 9,000 perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (aka PFAS) in use today in myriad products. Due to the strength of their carbon-fluorine bonds, they are persistent, bio-accumulative “forever chemicals,” and some have been shown to have multiple, adverse effects on human health. Governments at the state and federal level, and around the world, are enacting regulations controlling or prohibiting their use. These rules apply to different product categories, follow different schedules, require different testing and mandate different responses. In short, it’s very confusing. The Chemical Dilemma As regulators at the state and federal level pursue and enact legislation to limit the potential danger of PFAS chemicals, promo businesses need to navigate with finesse. by James Khattak onimate / Shutterstock.com 42 • APRIL 2023 • PPAI
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