Humans are, for the most part, our own worst enemies. In solving for cost on goods, we often create far worse environmental and health problems that only rear their ugly heads long down the line. But in our quest to make things cheaper, faster, and easier to consume, we often will dig our own graves.
Apologies, but it's just reality. And if you don't believe me, look at all the environmental and health damage we've done over the years with toxic air, toxic water, wastewater and oil spills, radioactive contamination, and a litany of other disasters that were all spurred by faster, cheaper, easier.
One of those looming health crises is that of PFAS, otherwise known as forever chemicals, and microplastics.
These chemicals are still relatively not well-understood by science, but from what proper scientists have been able to observe is that they aren't good for human health. And I don't know about you, but I like being healthy and not full up of microplastics in my brain. And I don't like them invading my children's health. But in a weird turn of events, in a bid to ban these chemicals from youth products, California might accidentally also ban youth ATVs and dirt bikes, two things that aren't really shown to have those chemicals to the degree other things have.
The issue at hand is California's SB-682, which is titled "Environmental health: product safety: perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances." On its heads, it's not a bad thing. As mentioned before, PFAS aren't great for us humans, and likely not for the planet either. And getting away from products that use them, or rather shed them through use, is a noble goal. Think about how good it was for us to get away from using lead and asbestos.
But according to the Motorcycle Industry Council, the proposed ban, which passed California's Assembly Environmental Safety and Toxic Materials Committee, didn't explicitly exempt youth powersports vehicles, but does in fact encompass them.
"If SB-682 becomes law without changes, it could make it illegal to sell new youth OHVs in California – even though these vehicles use PFAS only in a handful of external components, such as valve stems, fuel hoses, and wiring harnesses, and are considered a currently unavoidable use," states the MIC, adding, "Removing youth-specific models from the market could push children toward riding larger, more powerful adult-sized machines. It would also have a major impact on the state’s powersports economy, which generates $4 billion annually in California."
Again, pulling PFAS out of things that are consumed or used to consume foods, inhale medication, or other items that can directly affect a person's health, especially children, is one I'm all for. As is the MIC, according to its language about the ban. But in banning everything that could contain PFAS, even when those PFAS aren't likely to be shed or ingested, such as a youth ATV or dirt bike, well then you're getting silly.
The MIC is urging folks to write to their representative and make their voices heard in supporting an amendment to the proposed rule change that would carve these machines out fo the ban.
