French Bans on PFAS
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- 3 min read
By Ayush Deshpande Feb. 11, 2026
Every day, millions of people around the world use Teflon pans, waterproof clothing and makeup. Most of these items share a common ingredient: per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS)—synthetic compounds that can remain inside living organisms’ bodies and the environment for years. Due to the harmful effects of PFAS, on Feb. 27, 2025, France passed a bill which, starting Jan. 1, would ban the sale, import and manufacturing of PFAS consumer products when a non-PFAS alternative exists. The primary advocate of the ban on the political side was French Green Party member Nicholas Thierry, who proposed the bill in 2024, garnering widespread political and citizen support. The citizens of France also protested, including a large petition from the group Generations Futures, which gained over 100,000 signatures.
PFAS are a broad group comprising over 15,000 man-made chemicals per the National Institutes of Health. They have been used since the late 1930s due to their exceptional ability to resist heat, water and oil and while useful, PFAS are extremely dangerous due to being “forever chemicals.” They contain carbon-fluorine bonds, making them virtually indestructible. Because they are common in everyday products, they can enter the body in many ways, such as physical contact, eating, drinking and inhalation.
“A ban on PFAS would not be able to reverse the damage already done, but it could slowly taper off exposure for future generations. However our government should still ban PFAS, especially those in cookware as that is the primary way PFAS get into the water supply and spread through the ecosystem, and on a personal level, we should all strive to eliminate the usage of PFAS products,” Moumita Biswas, Science Department, said.
Since PFAS break down very slowly, significant long-term exposure to PFAS accumulates in the bloodstream and interferes with natural processes, such as hormone signaling, antibody production and fat metabolism. By disrupting these vital processes, PFAS can lead to increased infections, thyroid disease and liver inflammation, as well as cancer.
France’s ban targets PFAS in consumer products, namely clothing, ski wax and cosmetics, where PFAS-free alternatives already exist. It will also mandate regular testing of drinking water for PFAS contamination through sampling the water supplies for particulates and seeing if they exceed the mandated maximums. However, kitchen hardware was exempted from the ban due to industry lobbying.
“The kitchenware exemption shows how corporate influence can still shape environmental policy, even when the science is clear. Industries with strong economic leverage can delay meaningful regulation, forcing public health protections to compete with profit.” Junior Syed Qasim Raza Naqvi said.
This is not the only time PFAS have been banned. Adopted by over 150 countries, the 2001 Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants targeted PFOS (Perfluorooctane Sulfonic Acid), PFOAs (Perfluorooctanoic Acid) and a broader group of Long-Chain Perfluorocarboxylic Acids (LC-PFCAs). While the treaty was ratified across the globe, the two largest manufacturing economies in the world, the United States and China, did not sign this treaty. Thus, many of their products still contain these harmful chemicals, reducing the impact of the treaty.
By contrast, France is a leading nation in banning PFAS. Per the National Institutes of Health, their ban could help raise the public standard regarding PFAS in products by pressuring other multinational companies to either adapt their products containing PFAS or withdraw from the market. The main concern for companies will be to effectively test for PFAS and to bridge the gap in performance between products with and without PFAS, per beautymatter.com.
The ban on PFAS will have a significant impact on people's lives, as not only will many everyday products be PFAS-free, but it will also lead to increased research into PFAS-free alternatives. More broadly, France’s approach shows how science-based policy forces businesses to adapt to an increasingly conscious society and economy.
About the Contributors
Ayush Deshpande
Staff Writer
Ayush Deshpande is a junior at Leland High School, he is a staff writer for the charger account. He is very interested in Formula One, Legos, Star Wars, and when not at school or playing video games he is often found at K1 Speed or his friends' houses.
