S1548

The New York State Senate passed S1548, legislation to regulate chemicals in menstrual products, on a roll call vote of 59-0. The bill, sponsored by Sen. Fernandez, would amend the General Business Law to address the presence of harmful substances including PFAS, mercury, formaldehyde, and lead in menstrual products. Fernandez noted that the average person uses approximately 16,000 menstrual products over their lifetime, many of which contain chemicals also found in cigarettes and other toxic materials. "It is on us to make sure that we are only producing safe products, especially those most intimate, to all New Yorkers and consumers, so we do not cause risk to reproductive health or general health," Fernandez said. The bill takes effect 12 months after becoming law.