An Open Letter from Alex Lauver, OIA’s Clean Chemistry and Materials Committee Co-Chair
Regulatory action on PFAS changed the landscape of our industry almost overnight. Those with the experience or foresight understood one US state was going to alter our supply chains forever. Yet, the outdoor industry seemed to be mostly caught by surprise. Leaving the politics aside, it’s astounding how it happened. If you know the history (or by now have listened to the podcasts), we’ve been ignoring the coming change for some time. The environment and all biologic life will benefit from limiting the use of PFAS, and I’ve said before the first positive changes will be in our supply chain partners who work with these chemicals and materials every day. Their exposure, on our behalf, may be the greatest.
We can do better. One could argue quite successfully an advanced strategic approach to PFAS limits would have better postured brands to respond, assure compliance, and build better solutions to the coming change. We’ll find non-regrettable substitutions to fluorinated chemistry in rainwear eventually—we just need to collaborate more to get there. I joined the CCMC because I believe it’s positioned to do just that with the next challenges (and regulatory changes) ahead.
I write this letter from a camp chair in the San Juan Islands in the far reaches of the PNW. Yesterday, otters, seals, and even orcas swam past my zero-cell service, beachfront campsite. It’s a special place. My family and I have been coming here several years in a row with desire to come every year henceforth. I’ve been thinking on this trip about ‘what is sustainability?’; a topic so complex and one I feel I’m still learning. The circles of impact we create on the planet each and every day outnumber skipping a stone across still water. Many of our industry’s values can be traced to rivers, mountains, and coasts that are under threat by too many factors we don’t fully understand. And yet we still struggle as a society to even agree if climate change is a real thing. The Outdoor Industry Association has a responsibility to support members across a wide number of topics, and sustainability is just one track. I’m proud to help that effort and of the work we’re doing together.
Alex Lauver is Senior Director of Materials, Innovation, & Sustainability at Outdoor Research. He also serves as Co-Chair on OIA’s Clean Chemistry and Materials Coalition Committee.
