Picture this: you’re walking outside in one of your favorite places… you’re enjoying the beautiful scenery… and then you realize that your new jacket is shedding toxic chemicals into the environment.
The outdoor gear industry has a toxic secret. Many popular outdoor brands use PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances) to waterproof their products—from jackets to boots. The production, use, and disposal of these products pollute people and the planet.
We need to convince REI, one of the top outdoor retailers, to stop selling PFAS polluting products. Will you join us?
If we all come together, we can convince the company to lead the outdoor industry away from these toxic chemicals. Exposure to PFAS has been linked to harmful health impacts, including cancer, hormone disruption, and immune system problems.
These outdoor products leave a toxic trail of pollution. Manufacturing a product like a jacket can pollute the drinking water around factories, which can often be located in low-income communities and communities of color. Then, retail workers can be exposed to PFAS in the store’s air, and consumers (and the environment) can be exposed during use. Finally, when the product is thrown out, it can pollute the community around the landfill or incinerator where it ends up—and can even end up in wildlife like whales and polar bears.
With its strong commitment to sustainability, REI is the perfect company to lead the outdoor industry away from PFAS. No one’s drinking water should be polluted for a jacket. And no one should have to worry that their retail job exposes them to indoor air pollution.
Safer, innovative solutions are within reach—and the PFAS pollution crisis demands action now. Tell REI to be a leader and only sell products without PFAS!
The company has announced a phase-out of PFAS chemicals in a handful of product categories. This shows that REI executives know they have a responsibility to address PFAS, but it’s only a baby step that is nowhere near the scale that’s needed to address our toxic pollution crisis.
PFAS are known as “forever chemicals” because they don’t break down once they’re created. These chemicals have been found in most people who’ve been tested. And we’ve even found them in breast milk.
The time is now for the outdoor industry to switch to safer solutions. If we can get REI to take bold action, it will cause a huge reduction in pollution by the outdoor industry. We beleive that REI has the innovative spirit and commitment to the environment that makes them uniquely situated to lead this revolution.
Let’s tell REI to only sell products without PFAS. If enough of us come together, we can get REI CEO Eric Artz to make a commitment.
