What Are PFAS?

PFAS stands for Per- and Poly- Fluorinated Alkyl Substances. PFAS are a large group of complex synthetic chemicals that have been used in the industry and consumer products around the world since the 1950s. They are used to give water, oil, and dirt repellent effect in various everyday products such as non-stick cookware, water-repellent clothing, stain resistant fabrics and carpets, cosmetics, firefighting foams etc. Nearly 70% of the PFAS produced worldwide by volume are four chemicals namely PFOS (Perfluoro octanesulfonic acid), PFOA (Perfluoro octanoic acid), PTFE (polytetrafluoroethylene) and PFHxS (Perfluoro hexanesulfonic acid). The remaining 30% is comprised of nearly 4000 different PFAS for applications in diverse sectors from textiles, paints and coatings to cosmetics, electronics and automotive.

Because of their widespread use and their persistence in the environment, many PFAS are found in the blood of people and animals all over the world.  In this continuously evolving situation, PFAS are the hottest topic in chemical risk management globally.

Chemistry

When fluorine combines with carbon, it forms a chemical bond which is both highly polar and very strong. In comparison, C-C and C-H bonds are neutral whereas most other polar bonds are relatively weak and reactive. Due to this unique chemistry PFAS can perform extremely useful functions [e.g., water & oil repellence, heat and chemical stability, scuff resistance] but at the same time they are very difficult to replace. The chemistry also means that they do not breakdown easily in the environment and biological tissues, causing them to be both persistent and bioaccumulating pollutants.

Uses & Challenges – Are PFAS Safe?

Numerous research studies have been done & are underway to determine how exposure to different PFAS can lead to a variety of health effects. So far the research has shown that exposure to certain levels of PFAS may lead to: elevated risk of certain types of cancer, increased obesity risk, reduced immunity, and congenital defects in newborns. It has also been learnt that certain PFAS can cause health risks even at very low levels. People can be exposed to PFAS present in: drinking water, waste sites, fire extinguisher foam, manufacturing sites, consumer products, food packaging, biosolids or seafood. The most concerning applications to regulators are food packaging, cookware, and firefighting foam due to direct risk of exposure and high chances of water contamination.

Addressing PFAS – Restrictions and Regulations

Various governments, legislative bodies and regulatory agencies around the world are actively working to ensure the protection of people and the environment from PFAS contamination.

Legislations

U.S.A. – EPA and individual states

• The US EPA (Environment Protection Agency) is proposing national limits and mandatory testing of PFAS in drinking water, it also plans to introduce reporting/monitoring of PFAS in industry. PFAS-bans or phase-outs have been introduced on manufactured textile items such as consumer apparel, carpets, outdoor apparel and home textiles. Total fluorine limits have been imposed in few states impacting the use of fluoropolymers and other fluorine chemicals.
• EPA released its PFAS Strategic Roadmap in October 2021 outlining its planned actions across a range of environmental media and EPA program offices. The strategy is guided by three primary goals: Research, Restrict, and Remediate.

European Union – ECHA

• ECHA (European Chemicals Agency) has taken several measures to restrict or regulate the manufacture as well as the use of PFAS
  • Scope of the proposed EU restrictions: per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) defined as any compound that contains at least one fully fluorinated methyl (CF3-) or methylene (-CF2-) carbon atom (without any H/ Cl/ Br/ I attached to it)
• Its current restrictions include:
  • POP– Persistent Organic Pollutants- These are ‘C8 compounds’ (i.e., they are composed of molecules containing 8 carbon atoms) and have been marked for urgent removal from use, as they possess a hazardous combination of toxicity and persistence.
  • REACH– Registration, Evaluation, Authorization and Restriction of Chemicals- Directive 76/769/EEC – Originally focussed on C8 substances, this is now extended to longer chain PFAS.
  • SVHC and Authorisation– Substances of Very High Concern for Authorisation – Several compounds have been listed and subject to downstream reporting of any content over 0.1% (1000 ppm).

U.K. – HSE & Environment Agency

• UK REACH is the UK regulation that applies to chemicals manufactured or imported into Great Britain (England, Scotland & Wales). The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) is responsible for the enforcement of UK REACH.

Others / Voluntary

• Several private groups such as OEKO-TEX, ZDHC, Afirm Group etc. have acted independently to implement targeted testing for presence of PFAS in textiles.

PFAS-Free Alternatives – Potential Safer Substitutes

Technological advancements mean that there are now chemical finishes & compounds available which are totally free from PFAS while providing functionality & characteristics similar to PFAS-based chemistry. However, PFOA/PFOS cannot be replaced with a single substitute for all applications and there are different alternatives for different industries. For example, dendrimer-based compound, acrylic resin or non-ionic polymer with hydrocarbons and esters, plant based catalysts, etc. for water and oil repellency on natural and synthetic fibre-based textiles. Further, the alternative chemistries available for firefighting foam are siloxanes, protein foam, biodegradable hydrocarbon foam, etc. Similarly, PTFE (trade name Teflon) in non-stick utensils can be substituted with Sol-gel ceramic technology or Titanium-based alloys. Moreover, substitutes for coating chemicals include sucrose acetate isobutyrate, cross-linked polymethyl methacrylate, etc.

As part of its commitment to providing safer and eco-friendly FR/AR fabrics to its customers, Tarasafe proudly offers chemical splash resistant clothing under its Tarawool range in a PFAS-free option. This garment is tested to meet EN ISO 13034 with sustained performance up to 30 industrial launderings. For more details about this product, users are encouraged to get in touch with Tarasafe’s marketing team.

Conclusion

The chemical functions and characteristics made possible by the unique chemistry of PFAS are extremely useful for a range of industrial and consumer products. However this utility comes at a high price to the environment in addition to the dangers to human health presented by PFAS, which is evident and well recognized worldwide. While there are numerous regulations, enforced by legislative bodies and Governments worldwide, restricting the use and proliferation of PFAS in the environment and human tissue, it is also possible to shift to PFAS-free alternatives which are now commercially available in the market.