At ChemSec, 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.
H&M, Coop Denmark and Kingfisher as well as several other well-known brands and retailers have already joined the movement.
There are many companies out there that support legislative action and also have very advanced strategies to limit their use of PFAS.
Are you working at one of these companies? Your voice is needed!
By being transparent about your company’s approach to PFAS and by joining ChemSec’s corporate PFAS movement, your company can help rid the world of PFAS chemicals!
By joining the movement, it means that your business supports
- A call on policy makers to regulate PFAS efficiently, without the possibility for manufacturers to simply swap one PFAS chemical for an unregulated “cousin”.
- A call on the chemical industry to invest in innovation and develop safer alternatives to PFAS for all kinds of products.
- A recognition that PFAS are a major health and environmental problem.
- A commitment to end all non-essential PFAS uses in products and supply chains.
- A call on all other brands to join this movement and work towards a phase-out of PFAS in all kinds of consumer products.
Oh, and you also get access to this pretty cool badge that you can use on your website to tell your customers that your company supports the movement!
Companies that have already joined the movement:
- H&M
- Coop Denmark
- Kingfisher
- EurEau
- Stadium
- IDUN Minerals
- KappAhl
- Houdini Sportswear
- ELVINE
- Stierna Equestrian Sportswear
- RITUALS
- ICANIWILL
- Armadillo Merino
- Coop Sverige
- New Balance
- Nilson Group
- Lacoste
- ACO
- Icebug
- Fjällräven
- LYKO
- MAX Burgers
- Rusta
- Inditex
- Your company here?
What are PFAS chemicals and why are they a problem?
PFAS, short for per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, is a chemical family consisting of almost 5,000 industrially produced chemicals. In manufacturing, PFAS are favoured for their durability and well-functioning properties. They provide properties such as non-stick, water repellence and anti-grease to many types of products, including cosmetics, food packaging, frying pans, outdoor gear and firefighting foam.
The industrial use of PFAS has been so prevalent in the last decades that today 99% of every human, including foetuses, have measurable levels of PFAS in their bloodstreams.
What is worrying is that studies on humans have found links between PFAS exposure and a number of health disorders, including various cancers, lowered birth weights and negative effects on the immune system. Equally worrying is the fact that PFAS do not degrade. These chemicals are extremely persistent and can remain in nature for hundreds – or even thousands – of years, hence many people now call them forever chemicals.
What is needed?
The single biggest problem with PFAS is that, with very few exceptions, they are perfectly legal to use. This means that the brands and retailers who want to stop them from being used as ingredients in their products have very limited ways of communicating this in the global supply chain. As long as there is not a restriction in place, suppliers will continue to use these very effective chemicals in manufacturing.
Change will not come easy – it will require policy makers to take some uncomfortable decisions. Join ChemSec’s corporate PFAS movement and call on regulators to help end the use of harmful PFAS chemicals!
