Chemical companies lobbying MPs not to ban Pfas

"Pfas, short for per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances and commonly known as forever chemicals owing to their persistence in the environment, are a family of about 10,000 chemicals, some of which have been linked to a wide range of serious illnesses, including certain cancers. They are used across a range of industries, from cosmetics to firefighting. In May, MPs on the environmental audit committee (EAC) launched an inquiry into Pfas, with a call for evidence on the uses and risks of the substances, and options for how to regulate them."

"Specifically, many of the responses from chemicals firms analysed by the Ends Report call for a commonly used type of Pfas called fluoropolymers used across a broad range of industries including domestic cookware production, such as non-stick frying pans, and pharmaceuticals to be spared the same kind of regulation as other types of forever chemicals, on the basis that they are not as harmful."

Chemical producers are urging UK parliamentarians to limit PFAS regulation, arguing that certain fluoropolymers used in cookware and pharmaceuticals should be exempt from EU-style bans. PFAS comprise about 10,000 persistent substances linked to illnesses including cancers and are used across cosmetics, firefighting, and other industries. MPs on the environmental audit committee launched an inquiry with a call for evidence on PFAS uses, risks and regulatory options. Major companies, including UK and US firms, submitted responses advocating narrower rules that spare fluoropolymers. Scientists dispute the claim that fluoropolymers are less harmful, warning the industry is deploying tactics compared to the tobacco playbook. The OECD defined persistence as a key characteristic of PFAS in 2021.

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