Requirements by product
| Product | Requirement | Effective | Status | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Firefighter gearBan | A manufacturer or other person selling firefighting PPE to a person, local government or state agency may not manufacture, knowingly sell, offer for sale, distribute for sale or distribute for use in Massachusetts firefighting PPE containing intentionally added PFAS.PPE includes jackets, pants, footwear, gloves, helmets and respiratory equipment. The statute lists no exemptions. | January 1, 2027 | Scheduled | G.L. c. 111, section 245(b) (version effective January 1, 2027); St. 2024, c. 182, sections 2 and 4 |
| Firefighter gearLabeling | A manufacturer or other person selling firefighting PPE containing PFAS to any person, local government or state agency must give written notice at the time of sale stating that it contains PFAS, the reason, and the specific PFAS by chemical and abbreviated name.Seller and purchaser keep the notice for at least 3 years and must provide it with sales documents to DPH within 60 days of a request. This subsection is replaced by the sale ban on January 1, 2027. | January 1, 2025 | Applies | G.L. c. 111, section 245(b) (version in effect until January 1, 2027); St. 2024, c. 182, sections 1 and 3 |
The laws
Massachusetts
An Act relative to the reduction of certain toxic chemicals in firefighter personal protective equipment
- Citation
- G.L. c. 111, section 245 (as added by St. 2024, c. 182)
- Enacted by
- Acts of 2024, Chapter 182
- Enacted or adopted
- August 15, 2024
- Status
- Partly in force
- Source
- https://malegislature.gov/Laws/GeneralLaws/PartI/TitleXVI/Chapter111/Section245
How it defines PFAS
Perfluoraolkyl and polyfluoraolkyl substances" or "PFAS chemicals", a class of fluorinated organic chemicals containing at least 1 fully fluorinated carbon atom. (spelling as in the statute)
Intentionally added
Intentionally-added PFAS", PFAS chemicals that are added to a product or that enter the product from the manufacturing or processing of the product; provided, however, that the manufacturer of the product knows, or is reasonably expected to know, or possesses or controls information of the addition of PFAS chemicals; and provided further, that "intentionally-added PFAS" shall include any degradation products containing PFAS chemicals or products for which PFAS chemicals or PFAS precursors are used as a processing agent or mold release agent or PFAS created by chemical reactions.
Penalties. The section sets no specific penalty; the Department of Public Health may require notices and sales documentation within 60 days.
Bills and pending action
- S.3034 (new draft of S.1504), 194th General Court: An Act to protect Massachusetts public health from PFAS
Reported favorably by the Committee on Public Health and referred to Senate Ways and Means; no further action recorded (April 2, 2026)
Senate broad PFAS bill (Sen. Julian Cyr). News reports (secondary) say it would ban PFAS in product categories such as children's products, car seats, carpets, cookware, cosmetics, menstrual products and food packaging, with DPH waivers for essential uses and phase-ins by 2032, and create a PFAS remediation fund. Source - H.4870 (new draft of H.2450) and H.5598, 194th General Court: House broad PFAS bill (same title as H.4870)
Health Care Financing recommended ought to pass with substitute H.5598; referred to House Ways and Means with the amendment pending (July 22, 2026)
House counterpart to the Senate PFAS bill; WBUR (secondary) reported its phase-in dates extend to 2038. Source
Timeline
- August 15, 2024 Enacted
Governor approved Chapter 182 of the Acts of 2024 on PFAS in firefighter PPE. Source - January 1, 2025 Took effect
Sellers of firefighter PPE containing PFAS must provide written PFAS notices. Source - January 5, 2026 Update
House Public Health committee reported H.4870, a broad PFAS bill, and sent it to Health Care Financing. Source - April 2, 2026 Update
Senate Public Health committee reported S.3034, a broad PFAS bill, which was referred to Senate Ways and Means. Source - July 22, 2026 Update
Health Care Financing recommended the House PFAS bill as H.5598 and sent it to House Ways and Means. Source