PFAS Movement now has 50 members: ChemSec

Swedish-based NGO ChemSec has revealed that over 50 companies have joined the corporate PFAS Movement that it launched a little over a year ago. Three US companies, Naturepedic, Seventh Generation and Beautycounter, are among those who are now part of it, alongside the mainly European membership.

“We recognise that citizens and public interest groups are not the only voices needed in the debate about toxic PFAS chemicals – businesses are equally important. And we know for a fact that many companies have a strong dedication to move away from PFAS in products and supply chains”, said Anne-Sofie Bäckar, executive director at ChemSec.

PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances) is a family consisting of almost 5,000 industrially produced chemicals, which are used in widespread and diverse applications. They have been dubbed ‘forever chemicals’, because they do not degrade in nature.

Although the science is disputed, PFAS exposure has been linked to health disorders including kidney cancer, lowered birth weights and effects on the immune system. Manufacturers have reached billion-dollar settlements in several US states to cover their liability for both their health and environmental impacts.