Last month, Australia’s ban on the import, use and manufacture of three types of “forever chemical” came into effect. These chemicals – PFOA, PFOS and PFHxS – have long lifespans and resist breaking down. They’re considered harmful due to their ability to build up inside living organisms and their toxicity. In 2023, the World Health Organization’s cancer agency declared PFOA to be a human carcinogen (cancer-causing agent), and PFOS a potential carcinogen.
But these three chemicals are just a drop in the ocean. There are now more than 14,000 types of forever chemicals, known formally as per- and poly-fluoroalkyl chemicals, or PFAS for short. In response to public concern, the European Union has proposed to restrict all types of PFAS by 2030.
This approach may seem extreme. But the cost of cleaning up highly polluted PFAS sites and research on emerging harms shows the value. Phasing out the entire class could avoid still worse chemical pollution in years to come.
