Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) have been used to create products in just about every industry since the 1950s. Found in everything from carpets and clothing to food packaging, cosmetics, and fire extinguishing foam, the synthetic chemicals are ubiquitous.
However, growing sustainability concerns challenge the dominance of PFAS, with some research suggesting that exposure to certain PFAS materials may result in negative health outcomes.
Many PFAS groups are already tightly controlled in the EU. The European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) is now evaluating a proposal to limit use of most PFAS and introduce a gradual ban on their use in firefighting foam. Several US states are also contemplating bans on certain PFAS for specific end uses. Sustainable replacements are needed to meet allow flexibility in meeting this pending legislation.
Regulatory environment remains uncertain
Because PFAS are used in so many products, they can leach into soil and drinking water when disposed in landfill. Humans can also be exposed to PFAS through foods such as fish and livestock that come from environments containing the chemicals.
The strong carbon-fluoride bonds found in many PFAS mean that these materials degrade extremely slowly. As a result, PFAS have earned the label of ‘forever chemicals’ and could be met with increasing limitations in the EU and some US states.
However, some potential legislation is inflexible and does not currently reflect that there are large exceptions to an assumption that all PFAS are inherently negative. A large category of PFAS known as ‘polymeric PFAS’, which includes important fluoropolymers like PTFE, do not appear to represent a significant toxicological risk, yet also fall within proposed limits.
The repercussions of major restrictions could have an enormous impact on critical supply chains and would necessitate intensive research into a suitable replacement. The pushback against proposed broad PFAS restrictions has further delayed the potential legislation and complicated the regulatory environment. At the end of one EU regulator’s consultation period, more than 5,600 comments had been received.
“This reaction has to be taken into account, so the original timelines of these proposals have been significantly delayed in order to accommodate the feedback,” notes Craig Valentine, global director of compliance and regulatory affairs at Mitsubishi Chemical Group, Advanced Materials division. “The original timelines for phasing out PFAS in the EU were unrealistic anyway, as they didn’t accommodate a reasonable transition timeline. There will have to be a significant change regarding expectations for continuing PFAS use.”
Finding practical alternatives to PFAS
While the regulatory landscape is subject to change, and, even if there are limits, permitted exceptions are likely for many applications, long-term dependence on PFAS is still worth revisiting. Should fluoropolymers be left outside of the ban, their lifecycle still requires attention.
Alternative solutions can be found that possess comparable temperature performance and durability that have made PFAS such valued and omnipresent materials. Yet this is not so simple in practice as on paper.
“The real challenge comes from trying to replace that blend of performance,” explains Valentine. “Fluoropolymers have a unique set of performance attributes that we have leveraged in our products as both additives and as a product.
“It’s a challenge for industry as a whole. Fluoropolymer’s combination of low friction, low adhesion, and high temperature resistance is quite unique and not easy to replace.”
ECHA has set 2027 as a deadline for the phasing out most PFAS in the EU, but it is widely believed that this timeline is unrealistic. Eliminating these materials from production processes cannot happen instantaneously: customers need to make parts from PFAS substitutes, test them, and evaluate them to make sure that performance is not compromised before PFAS can be eliminated. This will take more than a few short years to execute.
“We have challenges in our camp to reformulate PFAS, but also obtaining validation from customers is not straightforward,” agrees Hendrik Vandenbruaene, R&D manager at Mitsubishi Chemical Group, Advanced Materials division. “Replacing one component seems logical, but PFAS has been validated with our materials for a long time. Some customers are early adopters, and others are more reluctant to spend resources when the legislation is not clear at the moment.
“The longer the legislation path stays vague, the harder it is for customers to commit in the long term to alternative materials.”
Innovations for alternative options in PFAS-free supply chains
Whether PFAS are greatly restricted or not, ensuring that viable alternatives are available in the long term requires substantial research and development. At Mitsubishi Chemical Group’s Advanced Materials division, a global manufacturer of high-performance thermoplastics and composites, this journey is well underway. Many of the products in its portfolio are already formulated without PFAS, but where fluoropolymers are used as additives in certain products, the company is exploring high-quality alternatives.
To guide the company’s trajectory for the future, Mitsubishi Chemical Group (MCG) has created the original concept of KAITEKI to measure its sustainability profile across its economics and technology. In line with these principles, MCG has developed a mid-term plan focused on addressing pressing challenges in chemical sustainability and identifying areas where it can have the most positive impact. PFAS alternatives have emerged as one of the Group’s primary focuses.
“The KAITEKI concept, and our commitment to solving the world’s most pressing challenges, is at the core of our work toward identifying PFAS replacements,” explains Becky Merryman, director of global marketing communications at MCG. “As the understanding of the possible health and environmental risks with certain PFAS of exposure and contamination continue to evolve, we are laser-focused on developing material solutions that provide the same benefits of these materials, without use of regulated PFAS.”
The Advanced Materials division is now launching several new, PFAS-alternative materials. The first of these include Ertylte TX NPA, a food-grade low-friction polymer that offers excellent dimensional stability and wear resistance, even at high temperatures. Ketron PEEK HPV, an internally lubricated grade of PEEK, will also be provided for applications where extreme performance temperatures, critical tolerances, or frictional heat are required. And this is just the beginning – many other formulations are being tested in the laboratory. Nevertheless, while the legislation remains up in the air, MCG will continue to provide select PFAS products.
“We’re not currently narrowing our portfolio,” Valentine points out. “The proposals on PFAS are overbroad, and as such aren’t finalised, so we plan to continue to offer our existing portfolio as we evaluate the regulations and developing science. In the meantime we’ll actively work with our suppliers to test new alternatives.”
Partnering with customers to help solve their unique challenges will also be crucial in this transition. Vandenbruaene states: “We can work together in resampling and supporting them in tests with trial pieces if needed. Some prefer to do that work themselves. We can support that too and then connect back with them, see what their observations are, and iterate from there.”
While the regulatory landscape remains uncertain, the development of alternative materials represents a proactive step to create useful options for customers. Guided by the company’s KAITEKI philosophy, environmental stewardship is at the core of Mitsubishi Chemical Group’s operations, making it the perfect partner with which to navigate the future of PFAS regulations.
To learn more about MCG’s Advanced Materials division,
