Feature NEW SOLUTIONS: A Journal of Environmental and Occupational Risky Business? Health Policy 2019, Vol. 29(2) 242–265 Manufacturer and ! The Author(s) 2019 Article reuse guidelines: sagepub.com/journals-permissions Retailer Action to DOI: 10.1177/1048291119852674 Remove Per- and journals.sagepub.com/home/new Polyfluorinated Chemicals From Consumer Products Elicia Mayuri Cousins1 , Lauren Richter1, Alissa Cordner2, Phil Brown1 and Sokona Diallo1 Abstract In the absence of comprehensive environmental regulation, under what conditions can social movement pressure on the private sector generate substantive change? We explore this question in relation to per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), a class of persistent, bioaccumulative, and toxic chemicals that are widely used in consumer products and industrial processes yet remain largely understudied and weakly regulated. This paper focuses on the strengths and limitations of one high- profile shame campaign by Greenpeace that has called for clothing and outdoor brands to eliminate PFAS from their products. We find that while the campaign appears to have spurred widespread awareness of PFAS in the apparel industry, corporate action remains fragmented and leaves broader environmental and social justice concerns unaddressed. We highlight the urgent need for comprehensive federal regulation for toxic chemicals, increased funding for green chemistry, and collaborative governance of global production networks. 1Northeastern University, Boston, MA, USA 2Department of Sociology, Whitman College, Walla Walla, WA, USA Corresponding Author: Elicia Mayuri Cousins, Northeastern University, 360 Huntington Ave, Boston, MA 02115, USA. Email:
[email protected] Cousins et al. 243 Keywords environmental health, social movements, perfluorinated chemicals, consumer products Introduction Recent discoveries of high levels of water contamination in many U.S.