France’s ban on ‘forever chemicals’ comes into force today (1 January 2026) following mounting concern over the adverse health impacts of these persistent pollutants.
The landmark bill was passed on 20 February 2025, with more than 140,000 citizens calling on their MPs to support the ban. It comes amid growing pressure on the EU to phase out its use “as soon as possible”.
While it has been hailed for protecting the health of French citizens, environmentalists warn that items removed from the first draft bill have weakened its significance.
What are ‘forever chemicals’?
Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are a group of more than 10,000 synthetic chemicals that take thousands of years to degrade naturally. Used since the 1940s, PFAS have been found virtually everywhere on Earth – from the peak of Mount Everest to the tissue of deep-sea dolphins and whales off the coast of New Zealand.
Chronic exposure to these human-made chemicals has been linked to the promotion of certain cancers, reduced fertility and disruption of the immune system.
Scientists warn that these toxic chemicals can be inhaled or ingested, with more recent research discovering they can even enter our blood by being absorbed by the skin. In Europe, an estimated 12.5 million people live in communities with drinking water contaminated with PFAS.
What is included in France’s PFAS ban?
France’s ban prohibits the sale, production, or import of any product for which an alternative to PFAS already exists. This includes cosmetics, clothing, and other items such as ski wax.
The bill will also require French authorities to regularly test drinking water for all kinds of PFAS and take steps towards fining polluters emitting these chemicals into the environment.
There are notable exceptions to the ban, however, for high-performance membranes used in filtration or separation processes, and textiles deemed “necessary for essential use” or national sovereignty.
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The first draft law also included a ban on non-stick saucepans, but this has been removed following reports of “intense lobbying” from French manufacturer Tefal.
On its website, Tefal confirms it does not use any PFAS considered carcinogenic by health authorities and hasn’t used materials containing PFOA (a type of forever chemical known for its heat resistance) since 2012. Instead, it uses PTFE coatings for its pans and pots, which it says pose “no risk to human health and [are] safe for food contact”.
However, multiple studieswarn that PTFE-coated cookware may release micro and nanoplastics into food during preparation.
‘France needs to get firmly behind an EU-wide restriction on PFAS’
“This ban on PFAS in products like clothing and cosmetics is great news for French citizens worried about their exposure to these harmful chemicals,” Sandra Bell of CHEM Trust, an organisation dedicated to protecting humans and wildlife from harmful chemicals, says.
“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.”
The EU says it has been working on a plan to phase out PFAS for the last couple of years. It has not yet presented or implemented such a regulation.