Manufacturers begin phasing out PFAS ‘forever chemicals’ linked to environmental persistence and health risks

Manufacturers begin phasing out PFAS ‘forever chemicals’ linked to environmental persistence and health risks

Leading global chemicals manufacturers have begun withdrawing products containing PFAS, the vast family of “forever chemicals,” as the threat of litigation intensifies and European regulators advance plans for one of the world’s broadest crackdowns on the substances, the Financial Times reported.

A class of chemicals under growing scrutiny

PFAS compounds number more than 10,000 and appear in applications ranging from non-stick cookware and waterproof fabrics to lubricants and industrial foams. Their durability has made them useful across manufacturing, but that same persistence in soil, water and human bodies has elevated health concerns. Studies have linked exposure to increased cancer risk, infertility and a range of immune-system effects. As awareness has grown, so has the wave of lawsuits in the US targeting manufacturers.

BASF, Ecolab and 3M move to retreat

BASF confirmed it plans to remove PFAS-formulated products from the parts of its portfolio covered by the EU’s proposed restrictions. The company, which is contending with more than 4,500 PFAS-related lawsuits — most tied to firefighting foams produced by Ciba before BASF acquired it in 2008 — did not specify a completion date. Ecolab, another major supplier of specialty chemicals, said it would eliminate intentionally manufactured PFAS materials from its product lines by the end of 2026.

3M, long one of the largest PFAS producers and a central target in US litigation, announced in 2022 that it would exit PFAS manufacturing entirely by the end of 2025. The company said it remains on track, citing regulatory momentum and shifting investor expectations as reasons for the decision.

A slow but significant shift across the sector

A new industry survey by ChemSec, a Swedish campaign group, found that roughly a third of producers plan to phase out PFAS. Investors argue the exit is as much about risk management as environmental policy. Jonas Weisbach, an ESG analyst at Union Investment, said companies face decades of potential claims, with personal-injury cases at an early stage. For many producers, he added, the commercial upside of continuing PFAS production is overshadowed by reputational and legal exposure.

Some companies have already begun privately circulating PFAS-related position papers to customers. Ecolab recently posted its guidance online following a surge in inquiries. BASF noted it produces only a limited number of PFAS-based products and plans to introduce substitutes “in the coming years.”

Regulators move toward tighter controls

The European Chemicals Agency said it would prioritise action on PFAS in sectors such as technical textiles, defence applications and certain medical uses. Officials are assessing whether a complete ban is feasible or whether tightly time-bound exemptions will be needed in areas where PFAS-free alternatives are not yet viable.

Jessika Roswall, the EU environment commissioner, said Brussels aims to modernise and simplify chemical regulation while providing clarity on PFAS use. She added that examples set by companies already shifting to safer alternatives would help inform upcoming policy decisions.