Lawmakers debate bill that could forever alter lawn care: 'This policy safeguards the health of … our children and grandchildren'
Maryland has introduced a bill requiring its Department of Agriculture to ban certain pesticides, including PFAS, or "forever chemicals," according to CBS News. This bill may cause some worry about the impact on lawn treatments, but are fewer chemicals in our environment necessarily a bad thing?
There's more than meets the eye with this proposed bill.
President Donald Trump temporarily halted proposed Environmental Protection Agency limits, affecting protections under the Safe Drinking Water Act set for 2027, as noted by CBS News. This rollback prompted Maryland to introduce legislation to limit harmful chemicals at the state level.
Maryland Attorney General Anthony Brown stressed the importance of the regulations, telling CBS News that "this rule permits water systems across the country, including here in Maryland, to regulate and treat these harmful substances."
Environmental advocate Adrienne Esposito of the Citizens Campaign for the Environment expressed concern, saying, "This is really a tragic setback for water protection throughout America." In response, according to CBS News, Maryland joined 17 other states in defending stronger regulations to remove forever chemicals from drinking water.
Chemical contamination isn't limited to lawn treatment. Companies have used PFAS in cosmetics and pharmaceuticals and as a water repellent in everything from nonstick cookware to clothing since the 1940s.
The problem? PFAS can take hundreds or even thousands of years to break down, seeping into groundwater and contaminating drinking water, which may lead to serious health risks.
But here's the good news — if House Bill 386 passes, the Department of Agriculture will distribute the list of prohibited chemicals by January 2026, and they will be banned by June 2028 for use on residential lawn care and schools and health care facilities.
The ban on these chemicals and PFAS means a safer environment and cleaner water for us all, and it will have a greater positive impact than we can imagine. Brown summed up the importance of this effort by telling CBS News: "By making our drinking water cleaner, this policy safeguards the health of not only our generation but also our children and grandchildren."
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For those opposing the bill, lawmakers have noted they are not singling out farmers with this ban, according to WMDT. However, some landscapers and veterinarians in the state have raised concerns about the ban potentially having negative effects on the efficacy of products, increased costs, and the usage of parasiticides to treat pets. However, research has already suggested that pet owners should pay attention to active ingredients in flea treatments to avoid toxic chemicals.
In regard to the potential benefits, according to WMDT, toxicologist Linda Birnbaum said: PFAS "are readily absorbed through the skin, creating a dangerous occupational hazard for farmers and farm workers exposed to PFAS in pesticides used in the field, in the air, and when produce is handled."
And if you're concerned about how this may affect your lawn care, don't worry — plenty of safe and natural alternatives can keep your lawn beautiful while protecting the environment.
Join our free newsletter for good news and useful tips, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet.
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