A new cross-border project reveals intense industry lobbying against the EU’s proposed PFAS ban, the costs of dealing with pollution, and the need for action on these forever chemicals. 

PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances) are a family of over 10,000 highly persistent synthetic chemicals. Because they do not break down easily in the environment, they are often given the nickname the ‘forever chemicals’. PFAS are used in a wide range of consumer products like paper and cardboard food packaging, cosmetics, and clothing.

These forever chemicals are ubiquitous in our environment and studies have found them in our food, drinking water, and blood. Exposure to some PFAS has been linked to numerous serious health problems, including certain cancers (such as kidney and testicular cancer), developmental issues, and immune system disruption.

A new Forever Lobbying Project, involving 46 journalists and 18 experts from 16 countries, has looked at both the cost of clean-up and industry lobbying around PFAS. This followed on from the 2023 Forever Pollution Project which revealed the widespread PFAS pollution in Europe.

The project revealed that many industry lobbyists looking to water down or delay EU restrictions on PFAS use arguments that are fearmongering, false, misleading, or potentially dishonest. They compare the tactics to those used previously to defend tobacco and fossil fuels.

The project also estimated that cleaning up all forever chemical pollution in Europe and the UK could cost €100 billion annually, equating to €2 trillion over 20 years.

The estimated clean-up costs in the UK are around £428m every year for 20 years. However, this only covers remediating contaminated soils, landfill leachate and removing just two chemicals, PFOS and PFOA, from 5% of drinking water in large water supply zones. This cost assumes that PFAS emissions stop immediately and does not include the costs of PFAS pollution on the health care system.

CHEM Trust’s Senior Campaigner Amelia Womack said:

“The chemical industry’s lobbying to delay, dilute, and derail stronger EU chemicals regulation, including the universal PFAS restriction, highlights their unwillingness to take responsibility for the harm these chemicals inflict on people and nature.

Europe stands at a crossroads: it can either bow to pressure from vested interests or embrace bold action to protect future generations. Safer, innovative alternatives to PFAS chemicals already exist or are in development, but they require robust, decisive legislation to level the playing field and drive the transition. The EU must resist lobbying that prioritises short-term profit over public health, and instead lead the way toward a healthier, more sustainable future for all.”

CHEM Trust calls on both the EU and the UK Government to urgently act to ban the manufacture and use of PFAS and ensure their substitution with safer alternatives.

Read more on PFAS here.

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