The Current Status Of Regulations Targeting The "PFAS Problem"

February 27, 2025 (www.waternewswire.com) Public awareness of PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances) is hitting a new high as headlines concerning "forever chemicals" continue to appear in prominent news outlets. Whether it be news about PFAS bans in different industries, lawsuits against PFAS manufacturers and users, detection of PFAS in various locations and products, and treatment of PFAS in drinking water, there is no doubt that for many, PFAS is one of the foremost health issues of the 2020s. IDTechEx's latest report, "Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) 2025: Emerging Applications, Alternatives, Regulations", critically examines the "PFAS problem" from the perspective of key emerging technologies, like data centers and fuel cells, in the face of potentially industry-shifting regulations.

The "forever chemical" family causing public concern

PFAS refers to synthetic chemical compounds that contain multiple fluorine atoms attached to an alkyl chain, encompassing 5,000-10,000 unique chemicals (depending on the definition used), including non-polymers like PFOA and polymers like PTFE. The carbon-fluorine bonds that make PFAS so useful also make PFAS persist and accumulate in humans, wildlife, and the environment. Contamination of PFAS is so widespread that it can even be found in isolated areas like the Sahara Desert. With so many ways for humans to be exposed to PFAS, there are many avenues for PFAS to accumulate in human bodies and potentially cause negative health effects.

New regulations may completely change how PFAS are used

With growing concerns over the impact of PFAS on human health and the environment, there are pushes for increased regulations on PFAS. One approach to regulating PFAS looks at addressing PFAS contamination in the environment and in important resources like drinking water; regulations on PFAS in drinking water and the environment are analyzed in IDTechEx's other report, "PFAS Treatment 2025-2035: Technologies, Regulations, Players, Applications".

However, many argue that given the annual output of PFAS into the environment, simply addressing the issue of PFAS contamination is not enough to solve the "PFAS problem". Instead, the emissions of PFAS into the environment must be addressed by regulating and drastically reducing the usage of PFAS, so that PFAS have much fewer opportunities to ever enter the environment. This line of thought has led to the proposed universal PFAS restrictions in the European Union and the US states of Maine and Minnesota, covered extensively in IDTechEx's "Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) 2025: Emerging Applications, Alternatives, Regulations" report.

What is the status of the EU's universal PFAS restriction?

All eyes are on the EU, as the ripple effects from a universal PFAS ban in that region would be massive in impact. Though the ban was introduced in 2023 to be potentially adopted in 2025, this is most definitely not the case as of February 2025. Currently, the ECHA (the European Chemicals Agency) is continuing discussions about a universal PFAS restriction and is revising the initial draft proposal as discussions continue. Lobbying efforts from key industry players, like the Fluoropolymers Product Group, to reduce or change the impact of a PFAS ban are also continuing. It will not be until the end of ECHA discussions, which may take another year, that the public will see the final PFAS restriction proposal. The final restriction proposal may be as strict as the initial draft or significantly reduced in scope, depending on how input from industry players and government officials has been considered.

Preparing alternatives for PFAS in emerging high-tech applications

With such a complicated landscape of PFAS regulations potentially developing, businesses need to understand existing and proposed regulations for PFAS to understand its potential effect on them. Businesses must future-proof and prepare for both the "best-case" and "worst-case" scenarios depending on which PFAS restrictions are adopted in different regions. Part of this is considering potential alternatives for PFAS, especially in emerging high-tech industries that heavily utilize PFAS-containing chemicals and materials. Six emerging technology applications that will face these questions and discussed by IDTechEx's report are:

• Membranes in the hydrogen economy
• Electric vehicles
• Seals and gaskets in emerging industries
• Thermal management for data centers
• Low-loss materials for 5G
• Sustainable food packaging

Anyone connected to emerging industries needs to understand how future PFAS regulations may impact their industry and what commercial and developing alternative materials are available to replace PFAS in these industries.

For more information on this report, including downloadable sample pages, please visit www.IDTechEx.com/PFAS.

For the full portfolio of sustainability market research from IDTechEx, please visit www.IDTechEx.com/Research/Sustainability.

About IDTechEx

IDTechEx provides trusted independent research on emerging technologies and their markets. Since 1999, we have been helping our clients to understand new technologies, their supply chains, market requirements, opportunities and forecasts. For more information, contact research@IDTechEx.com or visit www.IDTechEx.com.

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