ALBANY, N.Y. (NEXSTAR) – New York lawmakers are urging legislative action following a leaked U.S. Food and Drug Administration report that found PFAS chemicals in a number of food products and food packaging.
Officials say PFAS chemicals have been linked to a number of health problems including cancer, high cholesterol, liver disease, and cause complications in pregnant women and developing fetuses.
The report found that grocery store chocolate cake registered PFAS chemicals at 250 times what the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recommends for water contamination. It also found half of all meat and seafood samples collected by the FDA tested positive for some levels of PFAS contamination.
Following the release of the leaked report, Senator Brad Hoylman (D-27th District) and Assemblywoman Patricia Fahy (D-District 109) introduced legislation which would prohibit the sale and distribution of food and packaging that contain any amount of PFAS chemicals.
The full FDA report has not been publicly made available. Sen. Hoylman and Assemblywoman Fahy are urging the agency to release the report as soon as possible.