France’s Parliament Bans PFAS ‘Forever Chemicals’ in Key Products

The French Parliament voted on Thursday for ambitious new legislation to limit the sale and production of some products that contain toxic per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) “forever chemicals,” including cosmetics, most clothing and ski wax.

The bill seeks to prevent the import, sale and production of any product that has an alternative to PFAS, except certain industrial textiles that are deemed “essential,” beginning in January of 2026, reported AFP.

“In a relatively short space of time, two and a half years, thanks to the mobilization of members of parliament, NGOs, scientists and investigative journalists, a subject that was under the radar has made its way into the public debate, to the point where France now has one of the world’s most ambitious laws on PFAS,” said French environmentalist Nicolas Thierry, a Green Party MP and the bill’s rapporteur, as Le Monde reported.

France adopts 'one of the most ambitious' laws on PFAS

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— Le Monde in English (@lemonde-en.bsky.social) February 20, 2025 at 8:39 AM

Only last month, health and environmental organizations throughout Europe wrote a joint letter urging President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen to take action against PFAS.

The coalition called on von der Leyen to “end the worst pollution crisis in human history” with a ban on the hazardous substances. She had promised to do so under the European Green Deal’s 2022 “zero pollution” strategy.

PFAS are a group of thousands of human-made chemical compounds used to make products waterproof, nonstick and stain-resistant, but have been found to cause a wide range of health problems.

Referred to as “forever chemicals,” the dangerous substances have made their way into drinking water and the food chain through soil and groundwater, and have now been found almost everywhere on the planet, from the peak of Mount Everest to the human body.

Chronic PFAS exposure, even at low levels, has been associated with high cholesterol, reduced immune responses, liver damage and several types of cancer.

Non-stick saucepans were to be banned in the original draft of France’s new law, but intense lobbying by the owner of French manufacturer Tefal led to their removal, reported AFP.

The regulation will require French authorities to conduct regular testing of drinking water for PFAS.

A January 2025 study found that one type of PFAS associated with birth defects and health problems had been discovered in the drinking water of many towns and cities in France, including Paris.

Beginning next year, new European Union regulations will require member states to test their drinking water for 20 types of PFAS. The EU has been considering a potential ban on PFAS use in consumer products, but so far no regulation has been implemented.

“This ban on PFAS in products like clothing and cosmetics is great news for French citizens worried about their exposure to these harmful chemicals. The not so good news is that some key products like cookware were exempted. Now France needs to get firmly behind an EU wide restriction on PFAS ensuring more products are included and citizens of all member states are protected,” said Sandra Bell, policy and advocacy advisor at nonprofit CHEM Trust.