In our contemporary society, per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are used across the board. The huge group of synthetic chemicals, which includes thousands of variants, is used in a wide range of sectors.
This broad use of PFAS means they are often detected as contamination and some variants are associated with potentially negative effects on human health.
What is PFAS?
The collective factor that characterises these chemicals is that they all contain carbon-fluorine compounds, one of the strongest chemical bonds in organic chemistry. This means they do not biodegrade effectively in the environment, accumulate as a result and then pose a potential risk.
Can PFAS still be used?
When PFAS is in the news in the context of contamination, it is important to know that the use and production of certain PFAS compounds is still permitted.
European REACH legislation which covers the Registration, Evaluation and Authorisation of Chemical substances, regulates dangerous and hazardous substances. This legislation is regularly updated according to new insights and some substances may be banned while others may be used in products but at maximum permitted concentrations. At the moment, PFAS can still be used for certain applications and has not yet been banned.
Where can you find PFAS? /In which items of PPE is PFAS used?
PFAS is used for waterproof finishes. PFAS is used in personal protective equipment (PPE) in:
- Protective clothing for working with chemicals
- Rainproof clothing
Is there a PFAS-free alternative?
In contrast to consumer products, such as food, where there is often a choice between regular and organic options, it is not that simple in the world of PPE. Experience has taught us that, as long as a product is not legally banned, it will generally be used in production. Furthermore, finding an equivalent alternative is a huge challenge.
Take, for example, the fluorocarbon finish on textiles, which makes the material completely resistant to water, chemicals, oils and fats. At the moment, there is still no viable fluorocarbon-free alternative. The alternatives we have are not capable of resisting oily and fatty substances. It is also important to note that these finishes, irrespective of whether they contain fluorocarbon compounds or not, are not permanent and must be reapplied after every wash.
There is a theoretical alternative for rainproof clothing, primarily in the consumer market, but this has not yet been applied in the B2B market.
In conclusion, while PFAS is still used in PPE, the quest to find effective alternatives is still an ongoing process. Legislation will ensure that there are further developments.
The future of PFAS
Since 25 February 2023, fluorine compounds with a chain of 8 carbon atoms or more have not been produced or traded:
- in other substances, as a component
- in a blend
- in an object (a textile is an object)
This applies, along with additional restrictions/further limitations from 4 July 2023 and 25 August 2024.
These European measures mark a gradual shift towards PFAS-free alternatives/the elimination of PFAS, with the emphasis coming to lie on essential applications.
But what, precisely, is the problem?
- Confusion/ignorance around EN 13034
The EN 13034 ‘claim’ does not necessarily mean that it is suitable for all applications. Always check the manual to see which products have been tested, primarily with O-Xylene. O-Xylene is the representative of oils and fats. If the product has not been tested for O-Xylene, it is not suitable for the petrochemical industry.
- PFAS-free
There are PFAS-free clothing items, according to EN 13034, but these do not fulfil requirements relating to O-Xylene and are therefore unsuitable for the petrochemical sector.
- Laundry
Maintaining clothing according to EN 13034 is also a challenge. In order to ensure the clothing maintains the EN 13034 standard, a new fluorocarbon finish must be applied after every wash. The laundry will have to use shorter C-chains and will find it hard to guarantee resistance to O-Xylene.
Clothing for fire-fighting certified as EN 469 does not escape either, as O-Xylene is a mandatory product for testing in this context.
- Solution
The solution for the petrochemical industry is to focus on coated suits, certified according to EN 14605. However, there is still a question mark regarding intervention clothing used in the fire-fighting sector.
There is a theoretical alternative for rainproof clothing but this is principally used in B2C; it has not yet emerged in B2B.
In short, the future of PFAS is characterised by regulatory measures and the quest for innovative solutions in various sectors.