Advocates Sound the Alarm On Key Environmental Bills
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Jasmine Phillip, Clean+Healthy: jasmine@cleanhealthyny.org, 518-354-3263
Advocates Sound the Alarm On Key Environmental Bills
Reminding Legislators that they can protect New Yorkers as environmental protections and public health on the federal level are under serious threat
ALBANY,NY. - May 6, 2025: Today, JustGreen Partnership and leaders in environmental advocacy gathered at the NYS Capitol with Senator Webb, Assemblymember Glick, discussing toxic chemical policy to urge the Assembly and Senate to pass key bills in environmental justice & health that focus on banning toxic ingredients in everyday personal care & consumer products, and creating a better system reducing solid waste in New York State.
Beauty Justice Act (S.2057 Webb/ A. 2054 Glick): Restricts toxic chemicals in personal care and cosmetic products, especially those that disproportionately harm Black women and femmes.
A study published in the American Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology found that women of color are disproportionately exposed to more toxic chemicals than white women. The Beauty Justice Act will help protect women of color by banning toxic chemicals like parabens, phthalates, formaldehyde, VOCs, and heavy metals from everyday personal care products like shampoo, conditioner, skincare, hair products, make-up, etc.
“As Chair of the Senate’s Women’s Issues Committee, we continue to prioritize the health and safety of New Yorkers, especially marginalized communities, which are too often an afterthought in the beauty industry,” said State Senator Lea Webb. “The Beauty Justice Act is about ending the silent harm caused by toxic chemicals in products marketed to us — products we use every day. This legislation is a long-overdue step toward protecting our health in New York State.”
On average, women use 13 personal products a day that hold an average of 114 toxic chemical ingredients. Men use 11 products a day, averaging 105 toxic chemicals. These toxic ingredients are deemed safe enough to be put on store shelves as they do not cause immediate harm but studies show, can contribute to health conditions like asthma, allergies, hormone disruption, neurodevelopmental problems, infertility, and even cancer.
“We shouldn’t have to risk our health to brush our teeth, do our hair, or put on makeup. The Beauty Justice Act follows the lead of other countries and states, including Europe, California, Washington, and more to restrict harmful chemicals that can contribute to serious health conditions for the people that use them. It is imperative to pass A2054/S2057 this session and stop putting New Yorkers’ health in peril simply from their daily personal care routine,” said Assemblymember Deborah Glick, Chair of the Assembly Environmental Conservation Committee.
Currently, The European Union restricts hundreds of harmful chemicals that are currently permitted for use in the U.S. Recently, California banned 24 toxic chemicals from cosmetics products, and other states such as Maryland and Washington have followed suit. New York could be the next state to set a new standard for the rest of the country.
"Communities of color bear a higher amount of exposure to toxic chemicals in their everyday routines, both inside and outside of their homes. Due to the heavy marketing of products to Black and Brown consumers to achieve a Euro-centric beauty standard, and the chances of living in an area with multiple sources of indoor and outdoor pollution being greater, cumulative exposure to pollution sources is a significant threat to environmental justice communities. We need the Beauty Justice Act to turn off the tap on toxic chemicals entering our communities, especially in this political landscape where communities of color are incredibly vulnerable,” explained Briana Carbajal, State Legislative Manager at WE ACT for Environmental Justice. “Legislators need to pass the Beauty Justice Act this session, to ban harmful ingredients from personal care products sold in New York State.”
The Beauty Justice Act is on the floor calendar for debate in the senate and in the Ways and Means Committee in the Assembly.
Ban on PFAS in Consumer Products (S.187A Hoylman-Sigal/ A.7738 (Glick): Bans PFAS in everyday use products.
This bill prohibits the sale of PFAS (also known as “forever chemicals”) in textile articles, rugs, fabric treatments, ski waxes, architectural paints, dental floss, cookware, cleaning products, and more. PFAS are a manmade class of chemicals that cannot naturally breakdown. This means PFAS accumate in our bodies and environment and there is no way of removing them. PFAS are used for their grease, heat, stain, and water-resistant properties.
“After years of progress targeting specific industries, it’s time to pass our legislation to phase out the sale of a wide range of products containing intentionally added PFAS (S.187A),” Said Senator Hoylman-Sigal. “PFAS, which pollutes our air and water, posing a serious threat to our environment, have also been found to cause significant health issues including cancer, liver and thyroid problems, hormone disruption, and decreased bone health. Let’s get these cancer causing pollutants out of New York State once and for all.
According to the EPA, PFAS contributes to fertility challenges, developmental and behavioral challenges in children, reduced immune function, hormone interference, increased cholesterol, obesity, and cancer. Not only are PFAS found in our bodies. They are regularly found in rivers, lakes, groundwater, air, soil, fish, and other wildlife, causing a toxic cycle of poison between us and the environment. Passing this bill would reduce the ways PFAS can enter our bodies and environment, therofere reducing the health effects PFAS give us.
“We have no medical treatment for PFAS. Medicine does not have a way to remove PFAS from the body once it’s there. This leaves healthcare professionals in no-win scenarios when patients have appropriate concerns about PFAS exposures in their daily lives and how to deal with them.” Said Charles E. Moon III, MD, FAAP, Environmental Health and Climate Change Policy Coordinator for the New York State American Academy of Pediatrics. “However, we can work to prevent exposure by removing it and other dangerous chemicals from our consumer and beauty products that people use every day. We must take action to protect our families and our children from these hazards.”
New York State has already passed laws to band PFAS in firefighting foam, food packaging, carpet, and clothing. Passing this legislation would be a continuation of a standard that New York State has begun to set for the country. This bill is currently on the Senate floor calendar, and in the Codes Committee in the Assembly.
Packaging Reduction & Recycling Infrastructure Act (S.1464 (Harckham) / A.1749 (Glick): This bill puts the responsibility and burden on brands for the use of excessive packaging.
This bill requires brand owners to take responsibility for their products throughout their entire product life cycle, by bearing the cost of proper recycling of product packaging, while minimizing packaging materials, improving recyclability, and reducing the toxicity of their products.
“The huge and ever-growing environmental and public health threats caused by plastic waste and pollution are costing us billions of dollars each year,” said Senator Harckham, Chair of the Environmental Conservation Committee. “It’s clear that we need systemic change to alleviate the relentless burden of daily waste costs on municipalities and taxpayers and the staggering costs tied to the well-documented health impacts of this pollution. That means recycling reform and meaningful waste reduction. We cannot expect local governments and taxpayers to bear the responsibility for this financial and ecological crisis alone — the large corporations responsible for producing this excessive waste must step up and be part of the solution.”
By bearing the cost of proper recycling of packaging, this bill will provide financial relief to local governments and taxpayers, and requires producers to minimize packaging materials, improve recyclability, and reduce the toxicity of their products.
“New York is in a solid waste crisis- every year, more of our landfills close, with nearly all of them scheduled to close within 15 to 21 years, putting additional financial strain for waste disposal on municipalities and New Yorkers that pay for private hauling. We need innovative solutions like the Packaging Reduction and Recycling Infrastructure Act which will reduce packaging and encourage reusable and recyclable packaging along with banning toxic substances that are bad for our health and the environment. It is essential that this bill passes this session to provide the necessary innovation and relief to New Yorkers, municipalities, and the environment,” said Assemblymember Deborah Glick, Chair of the Assembly Environmental Conservation Committee.
New York State is faced with a growing solid waste and recycling crisis; and local recycling programs in every corner of the state are struggling to survive as costs continue to rise. About 40% of the municipal solid waste in New York is composed of product packaging and paper products. Shockingly, 17% of NYS waste is being recycled properly. The waste that was not properly recycled ends up in landfills, litter in our communities, waterways, or burned in incinerators.
“New York is drowning in trash, and it’s time to clean up the packaging crisis,” said Adrienne Esposito, Executive Director of Citizens Campaign for the Environment. “The numbers don’t lie: The Packaging Reduction and Recycling Infrastructure Act will slash packaging waste at the source, boost our stagnant recycling rates, and save municipalities—and taxpayers—over $300 million every year. Importantly, this bill bans toxic chemicals like PFAS, lead, and mercury from the packaging we touch daily. Right now, producers create the problem and leave the public holding the bag, this legislation finally puts responsibility where it belongs. Let’s seal the deal on smarter packaging waste policy and pass this transformative piece of legislation!”
The JustGreen Partnership coalition is committed to advocating for legislation that prioritizes public health and environmental protection. With the support of legislators and community advocates, the coalition aims to address the urgent need for safer products and reduce environmental toxins. These critical bills represent a significant step toward creating a healthier and more sustainable future for all New Yorkers.
“At a time when environmental protections and public health are under serious threat, it is imperative that New York’s leaders legislate with the urgency this moment requires," said Sophia Longsworth, Toxics Policy Director at Clean+Healthy, and co-leader of the JustGreen Partnership. “Toxic chemicals in our personal care products have gone unregulated for far too long, when it has been no secret that they contain known endocrine disruptors, asthmagens, allergens, and cancer causing heavy metals, asbestos, and formaldehyde. Even the products we use on a daily basis, like cookware and dental floss, are riddled with persistent PFAS “forever chemicals” when safer alternatives are available on the market. Consumers need to be protected from continuous poisoning by the chemical industry, and our legislators make this start by passing the Beauty Justice Act and the Ban on PFAS in Consumer Products.”
The Ban on PFAS and other Toxic Chemicals in Menstrual Product bill was also a legislative priority for the JustGreen Partnership in 2025. That bill passed both houses earlier this session and now requires Governor Hochul’s signature for it to become law. Advocates reminded Governor Hochul that she has the chance to protect millions of New Yorkers who use menstrual products from toxic ingredients they are poisoned with right now.
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The JustGreen Partnership is an 18 year old collaboration of environmental justice, environmental health, environmental health affected, children’s, and business organizations working for environmental health and just for New York’s people and communities. Learn more here