(The Center Square) – Illinois firefighters will soon be wearing protective gear free of PFAS, or “forever chemicals,” under a new state law supporters say will save lives but that also raises questions about costs and supply.

Gov. J.B. Pritzker signed the Deputy Chief Pete Bendinelli PFAS PPE Act, banning firefighter gear with PFAS starting in 2027. Supporters say it will help cut cancer risks, now the leading cause of firefighter deaths.