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When Madhvi Chittoor of Arvada, Colo., learned at the age of 6 that PFAS “forever chemicals” are found in all sorts of consumer products, she wanted to warn everyone. So she started with one person: Colorado state senator Lisa Cutter, a strong advocate for the environment. Cutter agreed to meet, and in 2021 she sat down with Madhvi—accompanied by her mom—at a Panera.
They talked about how PFAS, a group of manufactured chemicals used in consumer products since the 1940s, have made their way into drinking water, soil, food products, and the air. Peer-reviewed studies have found that exposure to certain levels of PFAS can lead to negative developmental effects in children, decreased fertility, increased risk of some cancers, reduced immune function, and increased cholesterol levels. Cutter already knew a little about PFAS but not enough to push her toward drafting a bill about them. Madhvi, she says, “really planted the seed.”
Read More: The Challenge of Removing Toxic PFAS ‘Forever Chemicals’ from Drinking Water
The following year, Cutter went on to sponsor a bill that bans “intentionally added” PFAS in a wide range of consumer goods, from cosmetics to carpets. In an effort to garner support for the legislation, Madhvi testified at the state Capitol and spent months emailing with Governor Jared Polis. After the bill passed, Polis recognized Madhvi’s hard work, inviting her to the bill signing in 2022 and giving her the pen he used.
It was not the first time that Cutter and Madhvi worked together. In 2021, after Cutter proposed a measure to ban single-use plastic bags in major retail stores and plastic-foam containers in restaurants, Madhvi advocated for that bill too—speaking with mayors and businesses, and conducting a signature campaign. At the beginning of this year, that measure finally took full effect.
“We are proud to have young people like Madhvi who are working to protect this place we love now and for future generations,”…
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