The chemicals in question, which can be toxic to both humans and wildlife, are pervasive, with one recent Kentucky study finding them in the tissue of every fish tested in the state.
"They persist in our environment. They do not degrade. It is very difficult to remove them from the environment once they have been accumulated there," said state Rep. Nima Kulkarni.
According to CHEM Trust, some PFAS have been show to:
- Interfere with the hormonal system
- Interfere with the reproductive system and the development of the fetus
- Impact the immune system and have been linked to reduced responses to vaccines in children
- Promote the development of certain cancers (e.g. kidney and testicular cancer)
The Louisville legislator has crafted a bill that would gather a wide-ranging working group to study the latest research and make recommendations, first targeting the areas where health effects appear most prominent. Kulkarni said states are adopting a variety of strategies to combat the spread of PFAS and starting with health is an innovative approach.
"It's a unique way to approach it, as opposed to banning all products that have PFAS, which is not realistic at this point in time," she said, noting that the chemicals are present "in a lot of products that people need and... use every single day."
Kulkarni's bill would also call for cabinet-level regulations establishing maximum PFAS chemical limits and monitoring requirements for drinking water. The lawmaker characterized the bill as a starting point, with changes expected as conversations continue with lawmakers and stakeholders.
Sen. Brandon Smith was among those making suggestions, adding that he doesn't want to create penalties that immediately push away industries showing an interest in working with the government to mitigate the problem.
"You have a lot of companies out there that right now at this point are coming to us, who want to help, and I don't want to alienate them and make it look like now we're coming after you," he said.
Work will likely continue on the "forever chemicals" bill throughout the interim this year, with Kulkarni introducing the legislation during the 2027 General Assembly.