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Bill would ban PFAS and other harmful substitutes from firefighter turnout gear, sponsors say
Summary
AB 1181 would direct Cal/OSHA to develop standards banning PFAS and certain substitutes from turnout gear by 2027; firefighters and unions urged passage while the chemical industry asked for more time and product availability assurances.
Assemblymember Haney presented AB 1181 to the committee, saying the bill will "ensure that firefighters are protected from cancer by ensuring their gear is free of cancer causing chemicals." The measure asks the state to develop standards to remove PFAS and ‘‘regrettable substitutes’’ from turnout gear by February 2027.
Firefighter witnesses described studies and occupational data showing elevated cancer rates in the profession. Jeremy Crawford, a Sacramento Metro Fire captain and chair of his local cancer committee, testified that the International Agency for Research on Cancer has declared the profession a Group 1 carcinogen and that PFAS has been found in current turnout gear. He said PFAS‑free alternatives exist but that some substitutes tested at Duke University contained other flame retardants at higher concentrations than PFAS in current gear.
The bill’s sponsors said AB 1181 would allow the state to set protective standards that eliminate PFAS and other harmful substitutes while keeping turnout gear protective. The California Professional Firefighters sponsored the bill.
The American Chemistry Council said it was not opposed but warned the bill’s definition of personal protective equipment could extend beyond clothing to products lacking tested alternatives and urged more time to ensure safe, available replacements.
The committee voted to move AB 1181 to the Appropriations Committee for further consideration.
