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Safer States released on February 18, 2026, its 2026 Analysis of State Policy Addressing Toxic Chemicals and Plastics. According to Safer States, in 2026, at least 15 major state laws and regulations are taking effect, while 33 states are expected to consider at least 275 policies addressing toxic chemicals and plastics. The 15 laws and regulations taking effect this year include broad restrictions on per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in consumer products, “first-in-the-nation bans on entire chemical classes including bisphenols, stronger disclosure requirements for PFAS in products, and new limits on toxic chemicals in cosmetics, textiles, furniture, and children's products.” Safer States notes that PFAS remain a central focus of state action, with nine of the 15 laws and regulations directly targeting PFAS, and 31 states likely to consider additional PFAS legislation. The actions will phase out PFAS in products, require disclosure of the presence of PFAS, protect firefighters and other highly exposed workers, regulate contaminated sludge, and provide cleanup funding. In 2026, several states will ban “entire chemical classes in products such as children's feeding products, receipts, cosmetics and personal care products, furniture and textiles, cookware, and menstrual products.” According to Safer States, states “are also increasingly treating plastics as a public health issue, advancing policies to reduce toxic chemical additives, microplastics, highly toxic plastics, and unnecessary plastic use, especially in products people eat from, touch, wear, and use daily.”
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