New Hampshire Legislature Moves to Ban Harmful Ski Wax
New Hampshire's legislators have moved to introduce a bill banning the use of PFAS. PFAS, or polyfluoroalkyl substances are a class of synthetic chemicals used to make products water-resistant. Recent research has linked the use of PFAS to negative health affects such as cancer, high cholesterol, reproductive issues, and more. The outdoor industry specifically has made moves away from PFAS in recent years. Products like Gore-Tex released a PFAS free membrane in 2022, and have continued to phase PFAS products out of their lines. Nicknamed the "forever chemical", PFAS are know to stay in the environment for an especially long time also making them a significant environmental risk. According to an article about the incoming New Hampshire bill, research published in 2023 showed that roughly two-thirds of surveyed skiers and snowboarders use ski wax products that contain PFAS. As skis waxed with PFAS products slide through snow, little pieces of wax can be pulled out of a ski base and into the snowpack. When that snowpack melts, these chemicals are distributed into the watershed and surrounding environment.Want to keep up with the best stories and photos in skiing? Subscribe to the new Powder To The People newsletter for weekly updates.
The introduced bill, House Bill 167, which will reach the House on Wednesday, April 2, bans ski, boat, and board waxes that intentionally contain PFAS from being sold in the state. Last year, the state passed a bill that bans a range of consumer products that contain PFAS from being sold starting in 2027. The current bill would tack ski wax onto that list. The Department of Environmental Services have identified concerning levels of PFOS, a type of PFAS in five water bodies in southern New Hampshire. The levels detected have prompted the state to recommend people limit consumption of fish from these water bodies. The House Commerce and Consumer Affairs Committee unanimously recommended the passing of the bill, with a 15-0 vote. This vote means that in all likelihood, the House will approve the bill without much discussion. New Hampshire isn't the only state to introduce legislation banning the use of these harmful chemicals. Colorado, Vermont, and Minnesota have all taken similar steps to band the sale and use of ski wax with PFAS. The International Ski and Snowboard Federation has also outlawed the use of fluorinated ski wax in competition.
Luckily, there are high quality ski waxes on the market that don't contain PFAS. Notably, Mountain Flow Eco Wax came on the scene with a line of PFAS free, plant-based ski waxes. Since then, the company has also released a line of environmentally friendly bike cleaning products and chain lubes, and an Infrared Waxer that eliminates the scraping process of ski waxing entirely. Swix has also worked to eliminate PFAS from not just their ski waxes, but also from their apparel products. Since 2022, Swix has been making PFAS-free ski waxes and by 2025, the brand aims to be 100% PFAS free.
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