ASSEMBLY OVERSIGHT, REFORM AND FEDERAL RELATIONS COMMITTEE

STATEMENT TO

ASSEMBLY RESOLUTION No. 156

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

DATED:  OCTOBER 17, 2024

      The Assembly Oversight, Reform and Federal Relations Committee reports favorably Assembly Resolution No. 156.

86This resolution respectfully requests that the United States Congress pass legislation to support and incentivize research into the effects of exposure to per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances and offer legal remedies for victims of PFAS exposure against manufacturers.

      Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are synthetic chemical

compounds that persist and bioaccumulate in the environment.  PFAS have been identified in countless consumer products, including clothing, wall paint, personal care products, cookware, and insulation.  The chemicals have also been traced to drinking water supplies.  Residues are absorbed through human skin and tear ducts, and often ingested.  These “forever chemicals” then persist in the body and environment without breaking down.

      Research has associated PFAS exposure with multiple types of cancer, liver damage, reproductive issues, suppressed vaccine response, childhood developmental delays, and other health challenges. Nearly all individuals carry some trace of PFAS in their bodies.  Some occupations experience long-term exposure that makes employees especially vulnerable to the associated health risks.  Police officers, transit workers, firefighters, and manual laborers often work with materials containing the chemicals.

      The workplace is not the only site of potential PFAS exposure.  Over twenty drinking water systems across New Jersey exceeded State PFAS limits in 2022, placing a wider network of New Jersey residents and workers at risk of health effects.  

        In February 2024, the “PFAS Accountability Act of 2024” was introduced in the United States Senate.  Under this bill, PFAS damages would be classified as a lawful injury and the bill would shift the costs of medical monitoring from those individuals to the parties responsible for exposure.  The bill would also express Congress's desire to incentivize funding for PFAS safety research.  By expressing support of this bill, New Jersey could catalyze congressional action to address PFAS harms.

      The fragmented state-level response to PFAS exposure warrants and necessitates a unified federal cause of action to address the concerns that the chemical presents.  In this light, it is necessary that New Jersey requests that the federal government offer legal avenues to protect victims of PFAS manufacturing and incentivize research into the prevention of harm from those substances, through the “PFAS Accountability Act of 2024” or corresponding legislation.