Safer States is proud to partner with the Mind the Store campaign to call on REI, a major outdoor apparel retailer, to phase out and ban PFAS “forever chemicals” in all private-label and brand-name products. States across the country are stepping up to protect communities from PFAS contamination and both prevent more exposures and clean up the mess that has been made. Textiles treated with PFAS are part of the problem and we need corporate leaders like REI to be in concert with state leadership that is adopting policies that move toward safer chemistry and materials.
Our partners across the nation are demanding that apparel retailers step up to the plate and address PFAS in their products now rather than later. Alaska is in the eye of this storm as persistent and toxic chemicals like PFAS build up in local food chains. These chemicals create heavy impacts and particular burdens on Indigenous communities where people are reliant on traditional foods such as fish and marine mammals for their spiritual, physical, and cultural sustenance. With a cold climate that requires reliance on heavy outdoor gear, Alaskans would like to see companies like REI lead the industry in reforms that protect the residents of the state from cold while phasing out toxic chemicals like PFAS in their gear.
“People in Alaska love REI gear and we use it extensively for our outdoor activities, including hiking, skiing, fishing, and hunting, however, we shouldn’t have to compromise our environment and health when we know that there are safe alternatives that can replace the use of this harmful class of PFAS chemicals”, said Pamela Miller executive director of Alaska Community Action on Toxics. “We expect REI to be an industry leader in phasing out PFAS and other harmful chemicals in their gear.”
Read more from Mind the Store Director Mike Schade on the launch of the REI campaign here.
