EAST ST. LOUIS – Burning toxic synthetic chemicals will be banned thanks to a measure sponsored by State Senator Christopher Belt that was signed into law Wednesday.

“PFAS can harm people and the environment,” said Belt (D-Swansea). “This initiative stems from concerns that our neighbors have surrounding the waste incinerator in Sauget, which puts Metro East residents at risk of exposure to these harmful substances.”

The new law bans incinerating materials covered under the United States Environmental Protection Agency's Toxic Release Inventory that contain perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances, also known as PFAS. Thermal oxidation for the purposes of pollution control, combustion of gases at landfills, medical waste incinerators and byproducts generated by municipal wastewater treatment facilities are exempted.

The Veolia Environmental Services waste incinerator in Sauget will now be prohibited from incinerating firefighting foams, a product that often contains PFAS chemicals.

“I’d like to thank Leader Greenwood for championing this in the House,” Belt said. “We worked on this measure for over a year and I’m proud that we are able to prioritize Metro East residents.”

The new law takes effect immediately.