French lawmakers have voted to limit the presence of PFAS, or "forever chemicals," in most products while making exceptions for certain cookware.
In short:
- The new legislation aims to ban PFAS in various products by 2026, with an exemption for cookware following industry pushback.
- Prime Minister Gabriel suggests addressing PFAS use on a European level, while others argue for immediate national action.
- The bill also includes measures for monitoring PFAS in water and mandates cleanup of pollution by companies.
Key quote:
"We must face up to a large scale health scandal, maybe the largest massive pollution in history."
— Nicolas Thierry, Greens MP
Why this matters:
The persistence of PFAS in the environment and their accumulation in the human body have raised alarms among scientists and regulators. Research has linked high levels of certain PFAS exposure to a range of health issues, such as immune system effects, cancer, thyroid disease, and developmental effects in fetuses and infants. However, the extent and mechanisms of their health impacts are still under active investigation, making PFAS a critical area of concern for public health and policy.
Outdoor retailer REI will ban the group of chemicals known as PFAS in all textile products and cookware from its suppliers starting in fall 2024.
