Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) found in products is increasing, with more knowledgeable suppliers better prepared to provide PFAS data, according to a report released by Assent Inc.
Drawing from over 4.5 million supplier declarations collected using Assent’s platform, Assent identified 695 unique PFAS, marking a 30% increase over the past six months and reinforcing the urgency for manufacturers to understand where these high-risk chemicals are hiding in their products.
“The business consequences of using PFAS, whether in the past or present, are unprecedented in terms of chemical regulations. In 30 years of compliance, I’ve never seen anything as impactful,” said Cally Edgren, VP of regulatory and sustainability at Assent. “It’s past the critical time for manufacturers to understand why and where they are using PFAS, so they can seek alternative parts to prevent manufacturing delays, redesign products to comply with restrictions, engage with regulators for critical exceptions and manage litigation and liability risk to their portfolio.”
Key takeaways:
· 3% of the parts Assent has analyzed data on contain at least one intentionally added PFAS, representing a significant burden for manufacturers to manage or replace parts throughout the supply chain.
· More than 80% of clients have already detected PFAS in their supply chains.
· PTFE (Polytetrafluoroethylene) tops the list, appearing in more than 50% of positive PFAS declarations. It’s highly used due to non-stick properties, valuable in many manufacturing processes, specialized parts, and consumer products.
· A significant number (82%) of clients with PFAS already in their supply chains have received declarations with multiple PFAS present, further highlighting compound risk and potential product obsolescence. Over 250,000 declarations with intentionally added PFAS have been submitted, demonstrating that PFAS aren’t just common — they’re embedded in supply chains.
The Top 10 most found PFAS, in order of most to least declared, are polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE); 1,1-Difluoretylen-hexafluorpropenpolymer (PVDF); 3,3,4,4,5,5,6,6,7,7,8,8,8-tridecafluorooctyl methacrylate; potassium 1,1,2,2,3,3,4,4,4-nonafluorobutane-1-sulfonate (PFBS salt); perfluoroethylene propylene copolymer; 1-Propene, 1,1,2,3,3,3-hexafluoro-, polymer with 1,1-difluoroethene and tetrafluoroethene; ammonium pentadecafluorooctanoate (APFO) [PFOA salt]; ethene, 1,1-difluoro-, homopolymer; propane, 1,1,1,2,2,3,3-heptafluoro-3-[(1,2,2-trifluoroethenyl)oxy]-, polymer with 1,1,2,2-tetrafluoroethene; and perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA).
