Maryland’s Senate voted unanimously Tuesday to ban Per-and Polyfluoroalkyl substances, or PFAS, a group of human-made chemicals that the Environmental Protection Agency says can cause harmful health effects in humans.
The bill banning the substances is named for former Calvert County firefighter George Walter Taylor, who died of cancer in 2020 at the age of 46. An autopsy determined the cancer was caused at least partially by the PFAS found in firefighting foam and in the gear that he had used since he became a volunteer firefighter when he was 15.
PFAS are known as “forever chemicals” because they don’t break down. They are found not only in firefighting foam, but also in food containers and even carpeting.
They create a barrier between grease and oil and whatever is beneath it. They prevent greasy food from leaking through takeout containers and they smother fires.
