US Environmental Advocates Raise Concerns over PFAS Pollution from Data Centres
Environmental advocates in the US have raised concerns about the use of PFAS in data centres and the potential discharge of the chemicals into the surrounding environment.
Jonathan Kalmuss-Katz, attorney at Earthjustice, told the Guardian, “We know there are PFAS in these centres and all of that has to go somewhere”. He added that “this issue has been dangerously understudied as we have been building out data centres, and there’s not adequate information on what the long-term impacts will be.”
Per-and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are a group of over 10,000 synthetic chemicals. They are also known as ‘forever chemicals’, as they are highly persistent and take generations to break down in the environment. Exposure to some PFAS has been linked with adverse health impacts, including certain cancers, reduced fertility, and the disruption of the immune system.
A type of PFAS called F-gases may be used in data centres for cooling. F-gases are a type of fluorinated gas commonly used in cooling fluids in refrigeration and air conditioning. Data centres require powerful cooling systems, and F-gases may be used for this purpose. They can then leach into the environment around the facility.
F-gases break down into TFA, a small, very persistent and mobile PFAS which is widespread in the environment. The European Chemicals Agency is currently assessing TFA for classification as toxic to reproduction, following a consultation earlier this year. See CHEM Trust’s FAQs on TFA for more information.
In addition, PFAS are used to produce semiconductors used in data centres. Manufacturing PFAS for such uses can pollute the regions around the production sites.
The advocates warn that with the increase in AI use and development, there is a rapidly growing demand for data centre power. This raises concerns about the potential for increased PFAS use and the pollution associated with it.
CHEM Trust supports the call for PFAS alternatives, many of which are either available or in development, including alternatives to F-gases. Read more about PFAS alternatives here.
To tackle pollution at the source and turn off the tap on PFAS, CHEM Trust is calling for PFAS to be restricted as a group. Read more about the European Union’s universal PFAS restriction here.
