A new report published by environmental non-profit organisation ChemSec warns that demand from AI and data centre infrastructure could result in a new “tidal wave” of PFAS production.

ChemSec identified the top ten global PFAS producers and found that eight are making multi-million Euro investments to increase production, driven by demand for AI and data-centre infrastructure, semiconductor manufacturing, and lithium-ion battery materials. Among the eight are European manufacturers, Syensqo and Arkema.

PFAS are a group of around 10,000 chemicals often referred to as ‘forever chemicals’ as they are highly persistent and take generations to break down in the environment. They have been found across the planet and in remote locations like Antarctica and the deep seabed. Exposure to some PFAS has been linked with adverse health impacts, including certain cancers, reduced fertility, and the disruption of the immune system.

In 2025, The Forever Lobbying Project revealed that it will cost €100 billion a year to clean up PFAS pollution in Europe, if emissions remain unrestricted.

Anne-Sofie Bäckar, ChemSec’s Executive Director, said, “Unless governments and regulators insist on a rapid phaseout, we will face a new tidal wave of forever chemicals”.

ChemSec identified two exceptions: German company BASF, which is committed to exiting PFAS production by 2028, and Swiss company Archroma, which is switching to PFAS-free alternatives.

In 2024, CHEM Trust researched the use of PFAS in semiconductors, lithium batteries and other green transition technologies, and found that innovative companies are creating PFAS-free alternatives in these sectors. For more information read our FAQ on PFAS and the Green Transition.

ChemSec’s report also highlights the risks associated with producing PFAS, with several companies on the list facing litigation over PFAS pollution. For example, 192 French citizens and four environmental associations have filed a joint lawsuit against producers Arkema and Daikin over PFAS contamination.  

UK MP and chair of the UK Parliament Environmental Audit Committee, Toby Perkins, said the news of increased PFAS production is “extremely alarming” and that governments needed to tackle both the production and disposal of PFAS. Perkins also called for the UK to align more closely with EU chemicals regulations.

The EU is currently considering a universal ban on PFAS that would restrict PFAS as a group, and control pollution at the source. CHEM Trust supports this proposal and wants to see the UK adopt the same approach. Read our blog on the universal PFAS ban here.

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