“Forever chemicals”, the colloquial term for the family of chemicals known as PFAS, is coming under increasing regulatory pressure globally as concerns over the negative effects of PFAS on human health and the environment are mounting. In this new report, “PFAS: Emerging Applications, Alternatives, and Regulations”, IDTechEx dives deeply to explore the future trajectory of PFAS in five key emerging applications: thermal management for data centers, sustainable food packaging, electric vehicles, low-loss materials for 5G, and the hydrogen economy. This is accompanied by comprehensive assessment of current and proposed regulations on PFAS in eight key countries. In this report, IDTechEx leverages its technical expertise to identify potential alternatives to replace PFAS in these applications and uses industry knowledge to offer market outlooks for these alternatives.
Introducing the “forever chemical” family – PFAS
PFAS stands for per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances and refers to synthetic chemical compounds that contain multiple fluorine atoms attached to an alkyl chain. The broad definition of PFAS by the Organization of Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) encompasses nearly 5,000 unique chemicals, including PFOA (perfluorooctanoic acid), PFOS (perfluorooctane sulfonate) and PTFE (polytetrafluoroethylene).
Unsurprisingly, the applications of different PFAS chemicals are nearly as broad as the chemical family itself. Depending on the specific chemical, PFAS can confer helpful properties such as oil and water repellence, thermal stability, ionic conductivity, and more, making it applicable in many important application sectors including semiconductor manufacturing, healthcare, non-stick cookware, and firefighting foams.
Why are concerns over PFAS rising?
With so many PFAS and just as many applications for them, why are PFAS now coming under increased scrutiny? The colloquialism “forever chemicals” hints to a key issue for PFAS: its persistence in humans, wildlife, and the environment. Not only is PFAS persistent, but they can also be found in many environments, even isolated areas; as such, there is increased exposure to PFAS through a variety of sources. Now, scientific evidence is growing that, depending on different factors, continued exposure to specific PFAS may lead to negative health effects, such as increased risk of cancer, developmental delays, and hormonal issues (per the US Environmental Protection Agency and the OECD).
A new regulatory landscape changing the trajectory of PFAS
With growing concerns over the impact of PFAS on human health and the environment, there are pushes for increased regulations on the use of certain groups of PFAS. Individual countries have taken different approaches on PFAS; on the least-restricted end are countries with no regulations on PFAS, while the heaviest level of regulation would be the countries considering universal PFAS restrictions in all applications. This report considers the regulations on PFAS in eight different economically relevant regions, including the European Union, the USA, China, Japan, and more.
Several important regions in the global economy are considering or adopting universal PFAS restrictions, including the European Union (which introduced its universal PFAS restriction proposal in 2023) and the US states of Maine and Minnesota. With such a complicated landscape of PFAS regulations potentially developing worldwide, it is essential for businesses to understand existing and proposed regulations for PFAS to understand its potential effect on them. This report provides a comprehensive overview of international and national legislation impacting the use of PFAS in different applications, highlighting potential new regulations with broad and far-reaching implications.
Alternatives for PFAS in emerging high-tech applications: a critical consideration
Similarly, with such broad legislation impacting PFAS in countless different applications, it is essential for businesses to consider potential alternatives for PFAS.
Heavy regulations on PFAS would be particularly impactful in emerging high-tech applications. In these less-established markets, PFAS can sometimes act as key technology enablers. PFAS could be used as membranes in fuel cells, as coolants for immersion cooling in data centers, as insulating materials in high voltage cables, or as moisture-repelling coatings in molded fiber packaging. Therefore, identifying replacements for PFAS in those applications will be important for the future growth of those emerging areas.
Source: idtechex.com