After Amara Strande got her liver cancer diagnosis—believed to be from PFAS (perfluoroalkyl substances)—she spent the rest of her life fighting to ban the chemicals. “Amara’s Law” is now being enforced in Minnesota, and it’s named in honour of her advocacy to replace PFAS. The Minnesota law will take effect in phases over the next few years. But what about the rest of the world?
According to Frans Timmermans, former Executive Vice-President of the EU Commission for the European Green Deal, “Forever chemicals are everywhere. They invade our environment, home-grown vegetables, fish, and our bodies, where they persist forever. Our citizens must be protected from that.”
As the world moves to ban these persistent and toxic chemicals, industries grapple with a key challenge. What can replace these profitable and pervasive substances?
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PFAS: The Toxic Chemistry of Convenience
PFAS (known as “forever chemicals”) are a family of man-made compounds that are both convenient and toxic. Their extreme durability makes them a modern marvel and a regulatory nightmare. Today, PFAS are in everything from non-stick cookware and food packaging to cleaning products and cosmetics.
To get an idea of how pervasive they are, let’s take a look at some statistics about forever chemicals.
- 98% of humans have PFAS in their blood (Johns Hopkins University)
- Around 12.5 million Europeans live in communities where drinking water is contaminated with PFAS
- Up to 24% European teenagers have toxic levels of PFAS in their blood
PFAS earned the nickname “forever chemicals” for a reason. They don’t break down easily in the environment or our bodies. Once they enter the environment, PFAS can stick around for hundreds or thousands of years, leaching into soil, rivers, oceans, and drinking water.
The same is true for people. Once PFAS enter the body through water, food, air, or products, they can linger for decades, if not a lifetime. They accumulate with repeated exposure, which is why even small, daily doses can lead to dangerous buildup over time.
The health risks of high PFAS levels are serious. Long-term exposure to certain PFAS has been linked to:
- Kidney and testicular cancer
- Liver damage and high cholesterol
- Immune system suppression
- Hormonal disruption and thyroid disease
- Developmental issues in children
So why do we use them? PFAS are a powerful combination of convenient and cheap. And by the time the world realised the danger, they were already being used in so many products. For most companies, no existing alternatives offer the same mix of performance and affordability. This makes them tough to phase out.
The Move to Replace PFAS In Europe
In Europe, deciding what to do about PFAS is as much about economics as it is about public health. In 2023, five European countries proposed a major ban on over 10,000 types of PFAS. If approved, it would be the largest ban of its kind in the world.
Exemptions are also part of the conversation. The proposal includes an “essential use” clause, which would allow PFAS use where no safer substitute exists. For example, in semiconductors or medical devices.
But it raises more questions—what counts as essential? Should we treat PFAS in water-resistant jackets or non-stick pans the same way? Do we need to replace PFAS in low-risk products? Who decides?
While industry groups argue for more time and flexibility, environmental advocates press urgency, pointing to growing evidence of harm. The European Commission expects to make a decision by 2025. But the process is complex and contentious.
As bans and lawsuits mount, manufacturers scramble to find good replacements without the toxic legacy. But it’s not as simple as pulling one chemical and plugging in another.
Which Industries Face the Most Disruption in Ireland?
As Ireland and the rest of Europe move closer to banning PFAS, some industries brace for big changes. “Forever chemicals” are tough to replace, especially in sectors where safety, performance, and precision are critical.
Here’s what that means for major Irish industries:
Pharmaceuticals
Ireland’s pharmaceutical sector depends on PFAS in many ways. This includes sterile tubing, lab equipment, drug packaging and delivery systems. These chemicals are valued for their resistance to heat and contamination. In such a tightly regulated industry, even a tiny impurity can be dangerous.
Some uses may get temporary exemptions under EU law, but those might not last forever. Pharmaceutical companies might need to look for safer alternatives where possible or prove why each PFAS application is essential. Redesigning products and facilities could slow down production and drive up costs.
Utilities
Ireland’s water utilities are under growing pressure. Starting in 2026, new EU rules will force suppliers to test for PFAS in drinking water and stay under the strict limit of 0.1 micrograms per litre. That means Irish Water and local councils will need to regularly test, report, and filter PFAS to protect public health.
But that’s not easy or cheap. Many water treatment plants weren’t built to deal with these “forever chemicals.” The systems that can remove them (reverse osmosis and activated carbon filters) are costly to install and run. According to the EPA, 2.7% of Irish surface waters already fail chemical safety standards due to PFOS, a common PFAS compound.
Food
Ireland’s food industry is also feeling the heat when it comes to PFAS. In 2023, Kerrygold had to recall its butter from some U.S. stores. Why? Because the foil packaging contained PFAS.
A group of U.S. consumers sued Kerrygold, saying the butter couldn’t be called “pure” if harmful chemicals were found in the packaging. Lab tests showed that PFAS were present in both old and new wrappers. It might have even gotten into the butter itself.
Even though the lawsuit was later thrown out, it caused public concern. People started asking how many other food products contain PFAS. The case illustrates just how common these chemicals are in food packaging, and the challenges food manufacturers face when consumers band against them.
What Happens When Brands Try to Replace PFAS?
When Patagonia started to replace PFAS in its waterproof gear, customers noticed. Rain jackets weren’t quite as rainproof. Patagonia is one of many companies navigating the complex question: What can replace PFAS?
The answer: no single substitute exists. To replace PFAS, we need to rethink entire systems and sacrifice profit. Many companies are facing the trade-off between performance and safety.
Some are turning to plant-based waxes, silicone coatings, or biodegradable plastics—materials that don’t linger in the body or the environment. Others are investing in entirely new technologies, like plasma-treated fabrics that repel water without using chemicals at all.
Is It Even Possible to Replace?
Not everyone agrees that a PFAS-free future is feasible—at least not yet. Amid EU discussion on banning the chemicals, expert Mark Newman told the Financial Times the move would “deindustrialise” Europe and that bans are “unenforceable.” He states, “You can’t have electric vehicles without fluoropolymers, you can’t have semiconductors.”
Supporters of a ban argue that public health comes first and that industry has delayed safer alternatives for too long. But Newman’s view highlights another challenge: how do we phase out PFAS without slowing down the clean technologies?
Perhaps the answer lies somewhere in the middle. Dr. Jamie DeWitt, a toxicologist at East Carolina University, advocates for a class-based approach to banning the chemicals. “PFAS is actually an acronym for a class of close to 10,000 individual substances,” she explains.
What Monitoring PFAS Might Look Like In the Future
We may never fully eliminate PFAS, but testing will be key to managing their risks. As bans take shape, governments will rely on routine testing to track where PFAS are found and to enforce safety rules.
Certified labs and testers like Southern Scientific Ireland will help industries prove compliance. In Ireland, local councils and Irish Water are already testing drinking water, and from 2026, this will be required under EU law.
Testing turns regulations into real protection. It helps prevent harmful chemicals from slipping back into products, water, and food—quietly holding industries accountable.
