States in the Lead

What we do

Through the power of the alliance, Safer States provides allies with insightful content, invaluable resources, important scientific insights, access to experts, and strategic guidance. This comprehensive support allows each ally to engage confidently with local policymakers and decision-makers, resulting in real life actions for positive change.

States are leading the way to protect people and the environment from toxic chemicals, hold polluters accountable, and incentivize safer solutions.

By stepping up to fill the gap left by the federal government’s slow and often insufficient response, state-level legislation, administrative actions, sustainable purchasing, and legal action can help to transform the marketplace toward safer solutions. These actions are particularly impactful when aligned with restrictions on chemicals and materials adopted by retailers and manufacturers.

How State Policies Transform the Marketplace

Legislation

Safer States allies from across the country advocate for policies that identify and restrict classes of chemicals that harm the health of people and the environment, require disclosure of these chemicals in products and processes, move the marketplace toward safer solutions, and hold polluters accountable for the harm caused by these chemicals. The alliance also champions the allocation of resources to assist impacted communities and policies that incentivize the adoption of safer solutions.

To explore state legislation addressing toxic chemicals and materials, visit Safer States’ Bill Tracker.

Administrative Actions

Safer States allies advocate for administrative actions on toxic chemicals and materials, including executive orders, procurement policies, enforcement of legislative mandates, and regulations that implement legislation.

To explore state administrative actions addressing toxic chemicals and materials (including significant final rules that restrict the use of toxic chemicals), visit Safer States’ Bill Tracker.

Sustainable Purchasing

Due to the substantial scale of government procurement, it has the potential to stimulate demand for safer products and practices, which would motivate manufacturers to prioritize their production. This is why the Safer States alliance advocates to their local governments to adopt purchasing guidelines, legislatively and administratively, that favor products made with safer chemicals and materials.

For example, states including Colorado, Michigan, New York, and Washington have adopted guidelines restricting the state purchase of products that contain toxic chemicals such as PFAS.

To explore sustainable purchasing strategies, visit Safer States’ Sustainable Procurement Roadmap made in collaboration with the Ecology Center based in Michigan.

State AG Action

State Attorney Generals (AGs) can hold manufacturers of toxic chemicals and manufacturers of products containing those toxic chemicals accountable for the harm they cause by requiring them to clean up contamination and provide resources to support impacted communities. These types of lawsuits seek cleanup and compensation to states and communities for the costs of that pollution. State AGs may also pressure companies to voluntarily take products with harmful chemicals off store shelves.

For example, as of December 2023, a total of 27 State AGs have initiated action against PFAS manufacturers for contamination of the environment and harming public health. Safer State allies continue to engage with state AG offices and encourage these actions.