How to adapt your buying habits as Minnesota’s PFAS ban begins

Forever chemicals are everywhere because they’ve been so useful for so long: Non-stick pans. Waterproof jackets and cosmetics. Stain-proof clothing, carpets and upholstery.

Yet the PFAS family of chemicals that do all that and more have, in some cases, proven toxic and don’t readily break down in the environment. As a result, society is slowly moving away from their use, which might cause some products to perform differently than they once did.

Starting Wednesday, it will be illegal to sell products with intentionally added PFAS in 11 categories in Minnesota: Carpets or rugs; cleaning products; cookware; cosmetics; dental floss; fabric treatments; juvenile products; menstruation products; textile furnishings; ski wax, and upholstered furniture. The state also banned PFAS in food containers starting this year, and a near-total ban will take effect in 2032.

For many products, there won’t be a noticeable change. Other industries have had a hard time replacing PFAS with nontoxic substances that work as well.

“I think people will have to adjust their routines and expectations,” said Cally Edgren, regulatory and sustainability vice president at product compliance firm Assent. “There hasn’t been time to acclimate, because this law happened pretty quickly.”

But just as the world has collectively moved on from incandescent light bulbs and compact fluorescents to LED varieties, the changeover will happen, Edgren said. It will just take some time and potentially a little more spending from companies and consumers.

“Alternatives might cost a little more,” she said. “But eventually, they’ll become the norm.”

Here are tips for making the transition away from PFAS as Minnesota’s partial ban takes effect.

To any novice users of stainless steel pots and pans, a warning: They scorch more easily and can be tougher to clean than the nonstick-coated varieties in use for decades.

“I just switched to stainless steel, and it hasn’t been the smoothest transition,” Edgren said.

Keep the stove temperature a little lower to prevent discoloring and scorching, especially if you have gas elements that burn hotter. Opt for medium when a recipe calls for medium-high, says former Bon Appetit editor Rick Martinez. And always allow the pan to heat up before adding oil or food if you don’t want a stuck-on mess.

As for cleaning, soak with dish soap and water for as long as you can to easily dislodge any adhered bits. To scrub out the tough grime and discoloration, like that rainbow sheen that sometimes shows up, cleaner Barkeepers Friend is your new friend and costs $2.29 at Target for the powdered variety or $2.89 for the liquid.

Ceramic pans also require lower heat and warming up before adding oil and food, experts said. And be sure to keep metal utensils far away to avoid scratching the coating, which is especially useful for cooking eggs.

Those who bought or received new nonstick cookware sets for Christmas might see some claims of “PFOA and PFOS free.” That doesn’t mean the pots and pans are completely free of all PFAS chemicals, which Minnesota law defines as having any fully fluorinated carbon atoms (that includes PTFE used in Teflon). For those still using coated pans, it’s important to preserve them for as long as possible by not using metal utensils.

PFAS chemicals are common in waterproof cosmetics and help stabilize ingredients while making them easier to spread. Most PFAS in makeup will have “fluor” in the chemical name — PFAS is short for perfluoroalkyl or polyfluoroalkyl substances — though there are dozens in use that carry a variety of chemical names.

While Minnesota will ban all such chemicals in cosmetics starting Jan. 1, many makeup bags will likely still carry old products with banned ingredients for weeks or months to come.

That’s not to say you need to throw everything out immediately, unless you’re looking to totally purge PFAS from your home.

“If you have a tube of makeup, using it for two more weeks is not really going change your risk profile,” Edgren said, adding she stopped buying waterproof makeup years ago and is still dealing with the occasional smearing.

The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency said it’s OK to throw products with PFAS in the trash, though PFAS poses a pollution risk at landfills.

But some items with PFAS should be disposed of through hazardous waste programs, including aerosol propellant-based cleaners and air fresheners; fabric and carpet stain prevention treatments and cleaners; waxes and polishes for floors, furniture and vehicles; dishwashing rinse aids; glass and hard surface cleaners; and ski wax.

Minnesota’s PFAS ban applies only to juvenile clothing — marketed for those 12 and under — until the near-total ban takes effect in 2032 to include all clothing. Waterproof jackets are a common source of PFAS exposure for kids, and if you are looking to reduce their exposure, that would be a top item to replace.

All fabric treatments, however, are under Minnesota’s PFAS ban. That includes waterproofing sprays.

“I switched from the normal boot spray to a silicone-based one,” Edgren said. “They work just as well.”

Scotchgard was a modern marvel when 3M introduced it decades ago. Sprayed on carpets, rugs and drapes, the chemical “keeps ordinary spills from becoming extraordinary stains,” according to an old advertisement. The Maplewood-based company that pioneered many uses of PFAS took the chemicals out of Scotchgard several years ago, and other PFAS-free, stain-resistant products are on the market.

Cleaning chemicals can be harder to sort through since so few list ingredients. Third-party certification firms like Made Safe keep a list of products that are free from a range of chemicals, including PFAS, if you want to check your stock of carpet cleaners and window sprays.

“Greener” products tend to cost more than conventional counterparts. Mixing homemade cleaners with baking soda, citrus or other common ingredients can often handle the job just fine for less money.

“Maybe it’s an opportunity for us to embrace the old ways again,” Edgren said.

Edgren said those looking to completely get rid PFAS and move faster than Minnesota’s law should start with food and water.

“PFAS in my mascara is not why I have a PFAS reading in my blood. It’s probably the water,” she said. “So if I were advising someone starting your PFAS-free journey: Anything that touches your food and water.”

Water filters are the best place to start. Zero Water filtered pitchers that reduce PFAS start at $20 at Target, while reverse osmosis filters at the tap can run $200 and up at Lowe’s, Home Depot and Amazon.

“You can’t truly get all PFAS out of your life overnight,” Edgren said. “Manufacturers need to come up with alternatives, and that will take time.”