Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (also PFAS, PFASs, and sometimes referred to as "forever chemicals") are a group of synthetic <a href="/facts/Organofluorine_chemistry/EwWmHflJ">organofluorine</a> <a href="/facts/Chemical_compound/37FXqqtv">chemical compounds</a> that have multiple <a href="/facts/Fluorine/YUV0Fb8m">fluorine</a> atoms attached to an <a href="/facts/Alkyl/vmEk8X4v">alkyl</a> chain; there are 7 million such chemicals according to <a href="/facts/PubChem/Nw3NgIxz">PubChem</a>. PFAS came into use with the invention of <a href="/facts/Teflon/jesBNXKq">Teflon</a> in 1938 to make fluoropolymer coatings and products that resist heat, oil, stains, grease, and water. They are now used in products including <a href="/facts/Waterproof_fabric/xGSRhVXa">waterproof fabric</a> such as <a href="/facts/Nylon/hBvG9bCw">Nylon</a>, <a href="/facts/Yoga_pants/MdLkrRHT">yoga pants</a>, carpets, shampoo, <a href="/facts/Feminine_hygiene/HPeRg5yX">feminine hygiene</a> products, mobile phone screens, wall paint, furniture, adhesives, <a href="/facts/Food_packaging/E6SFz4eM">food packaging</a>, <a href="/facts/Firefighting_foam/fnhESF0V">firefighting foam</a>, and the insulation of electrical wire. PFAS are also used by the <a href="/facts/Cosmetic_industry/2rUJeSWP">cosmetic industry</a> in most <a href="/facts/Cosmetics/rb1x6P8c">cosmetics</a> and <a href="/facts/Personal_care_products/7yPao7B0">personal care products</a>, including <a href="/facts/Lipstick/gEBQCrsa">lipstick</a>, <a href="/facts/Eye_liner/dpEq8Ttz">eye liner</a>, <a href="/facts/Mascara/JPLvEIHM">mascara</a>, <a href="/facts/Foundation_(cosmetics)/VtPm5UXL">foundation</a>, <a href="/facts/Concealer/DhSQL24s">concealer</a>, <a href="/facts/Lip_balm/Dw5ytedU">lip balm</a>, <a href="/facts/Blush_(cosmetics)/VINWf0nk">blush</a>, and <a href="/facts/Nail_polish/g2IDM3lt">nail polish</a>.
Many PFAS such as <a href="/facts/Perfluorooctanesulfonic_acid/X9NuXsTn">PFOS</a> and <a href="/facts/Perfluorooctanoic_acid/My764IGA">PFOA</a> pose health and environmental concerns because they are <a href="/facts/Persistent_organic_pollutant/80UtnJEp">persistent organic pollutants</a>; they were branded as "forever chemicals" in an article in <a href="/facts/The_Washington_Post/dRvzvqJc">The Washington Post</a> in 2018. Some have <a href="/facts/Half-life/kGVH8BAB">half-lives</a> of over eight years in the body, due to a <a href="/facts/Carbon-fluorine_bond/5owIII1f">carbon-fluorine bond</a>, one of the strongest in <a href="/facts/Organic_chemistry/djxhxaNg">organic chemistry</a>. They move through soils and <a href="/facts/Bioaccumulation/KaHzFKnL">bioaccumulate</a> in fish and wildlife, which are then eaten by humans. <a href="/facts/Residue_(chemistry)/xE6sUTDa">Residues</a> are now commonly found in <a href="/facts/Rain/MLqcQEyx">rain</a>, <a href="/facts/Drinking_water/FmSJcKGG">drinking water</a>, and <a href="/facts/Wastewater/g6Bn8xvT">wastewater</a>. Since PFAS compounds are highly mobile, they are readily absorbed through <a href="/facts/Human_skin/cfRXQwSs">human skin</a> and through <a href="/facts/Tear_duct/kAkLy7Y9">tear ducts</a>, and such products on <a href="/facts/Lip/cUlpthmx">lips</a> are often unwittingly ingested. Due to the large number of PFAS, it is challenging to study and assess the potential human health and environmental risks; more research is necessary and is ongoing.
Exposure to PFAS, some of which have been classified as <a href="/facts/Carcinogen/soH8Y9CE">carcinogenic</a> and/or as <a href="/facts/Endocrine_disruptor/Yk2hfnTj">endocrine disruptors</a>, has been linked to <a href="/facts/Cancer/PVW6n1D0">cancers</a> such as <a href="/facts/Kidney_cancer/jx6L4829">kidney</a>, <a href="/facts/Prostate_cancer/Mx7XuDhm">prostate</a> and <a href="/facts/Testicular_cancer/v8qGnvRm">testicular cancer</a>, <a href="/facts/Ulcerative_colitis/BIkyFzRj">ulcerative colitis</a>, <a href="/facts/Thyroid_disease/51xH3TXu">thyroid disease</a>, suboptimal <a href="/facts/Antibody_response/MX8pdTdP">antibody response</a> / decreased immunity, decreased fertility, hypertensive disorders in pregnancy, reduced infant and fetal growth and developmental issues in children, obesity, <a href="/facts/Dyslipidemia/ty4sC76X">dyslipidemia</a> (abnormally high <a href="/facts/Cholesterol/TnfPlYc1">cholesterol</a>), and higher rates of <a href="/facts/Hormone/WFnBnINJ">hormone</a> interference.
The use of PFAS has been regulated internationally by the <a href="/facts/Stockholm_Convention_on_Persistent_Organic_Pollutants/HQQU41QJ">Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants</a> since 2009, with some jurisdictions, such as China and the <a href="/facts/European_Union/6GYcR8qM">European Union</a>, planning further reductions and phase-outs. However, major producers and users such as the United States, Israel, and Malaysia have not ratified the agreement and the <a href="/facts/Chemical_industry/3M6gfHer">chemical industry</a> has lobbied governments to reduce regulations or have moved production to countries such as Thailand, where there is less regulation.
The market for PFAS was estimated to be US$28 billion in 2023 and the majority are produced by 12 companies: <a href="/facts/3M/lNDcCRkX">3M</a>, <a href="/facts/AGC_Inc./YKGMtVJL">AGC Inc.</a>, Archroma, <a href="/facts/Arkema/3Kr4g6xY">Arkema</a>, <a href="/facts/BASF/cdtGr0TK">BASF</a>, <a href="/facts/Bayer/fnYepBcG">Bayer</a>, <a href="/facts/Chemours/shaTInJF">Chemours</a>, <a href="/facts/Daikin/NJh1wnSR">Daikin</a>, <a href="/facts/Honeywell/qjkujlwJ">Honeywell</a>, <a href="/facts/Merck_Group/5wXLtNQF">Merck Group</a>, Shandong Dongyue Chemical, and <a href="/facts/Solvay_S.A./SGL28QtK">Solvay</a>. Sales of PFAS, which cost approximately $20 per kilogram, generate a total industry profit of $4 billion per year on 16% <a href="/facts/Profit_margin/jlXaP9t0">profit margins</a>. Due to health concerns, several companies have ended or plan to end the sale of PFAS or products that contain them; these include <a href="/facts/W._L._Gore_%2526_Associates/0bMHduvf">W. L. Gore & Associates</a> (the maker of <a href="/facts/Gore-Tex/ST3smnuS">Gore-Tex</a>), <a href="/facts/H%2526M/8PXv02qs">H&M</a>, <a href="/facts/Patagonia%2c_Inc./McztC213">Patagonia</a>, <a href="/facts/REI/MYNyMHe8">REI</a>, and <a href="/facts/3M/lNDcCRkX">3M</a>. PFAS producers have paid billions of dollars to settle litigation claims, the largest being a $10.3 billion settlement paid by 3M for water contamination in 2023. Studies have shown that companies have known of the health dangers since the 1970s – DuPont and 3M were aware that PFAS was "highly toxic when inhaled and moderately toxic when ingested". <a href="/facts/External_costs/hGgw7gtT">External costs</a>, including those associated with remediation of PFAS from soil and water contamination, treatment of related diseases, and monitoring of PFAS pollution, may be as high as US$17.5 trillion annually, according to <a href="/facts/ChemSec/FbcHurfn">ChemSec</a>. The <a href="/facts/Nordic_Council_of_Ministers/e1Dtmar3">Nordic Council of Ministers</a> estimated health costs to be at least €52–84 billion in the <a href="/facts/European_Economic_Area/6c4T2eDE">European Economic Area</a>. In the United States, PFAS-attributable disease costs are estimated to be $6–62 billion.
In January 2025, reports stated that the cost of cleaning up toxic PFAS pollution in the UK and Europe could exceed £1.6 trillion over the next 20 years, averaging £84 billion annually.

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances open-in-new

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances