PFAS: Forever Chemicals - Investor Briefing
Background
PFAS are a group of chemicals whose typical properties make them extremely useful in a broad range of consumer and industrial applications. Some of the major industry sectors using PFAS include aerospace and defence, automotive, aviation, textiles, construction, household products, electronics, food processing, food packaging and medical devices. However, the properties that make PFAS so useful have also led to global concerns regarding their adverse health and environmental impacts: PFAS persist in the environmental longer than any other human-made chemical; exposure to PFAS has been linked to adverse health impacts including endocrine disruption, increased cholesterol, higher risk of certain cancers, thyroid issues, reduced birth weights, lower responsiveness to vaccines and cardiovascular disease.
Key takeaways
- Adverse health and environmental impacts of the use of PFAS in industrial and consumer products has become a global concern.
- Regulators globally are increasingly focusing on PFAS, with several jurisdictions considering phasing out and/or banning these substances. The report discusses regulatory action in the EU, New Zealand, and North America.
- There is also a growing litigation risk, with notable cases observed in the US, Sweden, and the Netherlands.
- Regulation and litigation present risks to PFAS chemical producers and product manufacturing sectors; at the same time, waste management, water treatment and environmental testing service providers are presented with new opportunities. These risks and opportunities are explored in more detail in the report.
