Fluoropolymers are increasingly being separated from the PFAS debate
A new review of the current state of international scientific knowledge recommends that fluoropolymers be considered separately
PFAS—often referred to as “forever chemicals”—have been at the center of an intense political and societal debate for years. The reason for this is that certain PFAS have increasingly come under scrutiny by authorities worldwide due to their persistence, mobility, or potential risks to the environment and human health. The European Union is therefore currently considering a far-reaching restriction on the entire group of substances.
What is less well known is that the term PFAS encompasses more than 14,000 different substances, some of which differ significantly in their chemical, physical, and biological properties, as well as in their applications and potential impacts on humans and the environment. Fluoropolymers constitute only a small subgroup of this large family of substances. They are used in numerous high-tech applications—such as medical technology, photonics, analytics, biotechnology and laboratory technology, semiconductor manufacturing, as well as in energy and communications systems. For many of these applications, there are currently no equivalent alternatives—nor are any expected in the foreseeable future.
Unlike those PFAS for which risks to humans and the environment have been demonstrated, fluoropolymers do not migrate through water or air, do not accumulate in the body, and are not considered toxic. The central question is therefore: Should fluoropolymers be treated in the same way as all other PFAS that are at the center of the regulatory debate?
New Review of the Current State of International Scientific Knowledge
This question is addressed in the new meta-report “Scientific Report on Fluoropolymers End-of-Life 2026” by American toxicologist and regulatory expert Dr. Barbara J. Henry, commissioned by the German industry association SPECTARIS.
The report assesses the current state of scientific knowledge regarding end-of-life emissions from fluoropolymers and examines whether the assumptions underlying the ongoing PFAS restriction process are supported by the available scientific evidence.
The analysis leads to a clear conclusion: Fluoropolymers occupy a special position among PFAS and should be assessed separately within the framework of PFAS regulation, treated differently from other PFAS, or exempted from a blanket restriction.
Emissions over the entire life cycle can be responsibly controlled
Scientific studies conducted over the past 20 years show that modern, EU-compliant incineration plants can now almost completely destroy fluoropolymers, thereby limiting end-of-life emissions to a negligible minimum.
Under real-world operating conditions and in compliance with applicable European standards, destruction rates ranging from 99.7 to over 99.9999 percent are achieved—significantly higher than the assumptions underlying the ongoing restriction procedure.
The emission assumptions themselves are also in question: According to the report’s analysis, the values used in the ECHA background document are significantly overestimated—possibly by a factor of up to 10,000 for air emissions, and by a factor of about 33.6 for emissions into water and landfill leachate.
Fluoropolymers differ fundamentally from other PFAS
Even when not burned, fluoropolymers differ significantly from many other PFAS: They are neither water-soluble nor do they adhere to soil or evaporate into the air. They have very low bioavailability and are not considered bioaccumulative. Furthermore, they do not require plasticizers, flame retardants, or other common plastic additives—consequently, fluoropolymers cannot release substances into the environment that they do not already contain.
With regard to potential microplastic risks, the author currently sees no evidence of fluoropolymer-specific hazards: The available data show that fluoropolymers do not break down into microparticles—neither through sunlight, nor in water, nor through microbial processes. In landfills, they are weather-resistant and resist fragmentation and mechanical degradation. They account for only about 0.1 percent of total plastic consumption in Europe.
Key Findings at a Glance
- Fluoropolymers differ fundamentally from many other PFAS: they are non-toxic, non-bioaccumulative, immobile, and have very low bioavailability.
- The current state of scientific knowledge does not support the assumption that fluoropolymers pose an unacceptable end-of-life risk.
- Modern, EU-compliant incineration plants achieve destruction and mineralization rates ranging from 99.7 to over 99.9999 percent.
- According to the report’s analysis, the emission assumptions used in the ECHA background document are significantly overestimated (air: by a factor of up to 10,000; water/landfill leachate: by a factor of approximately 33.6).
- Fluoropolymers have been used safely in medical devices for more than 60 years; manufacturing emissions have been significantly reduced in recent years.
- Further research on microplastics is needed—however, the data available to date provide no evidence of specific risks associated with fluoropolymers (which account for approximately 0.1 percent of plastic consumption).
- According to the author, the scientific evidence supports a separate assessment of fluoropolymers and their exclusion from the proposed PFAS restriction.
About the Author
Dr. Barbara J. Henry is a toxicologist and an internationally recognized expert on the risk and hazard assessment of PFAS and fluoropolymers. For more than 40 years, she has been working on issues related to product safety, environmental assessment, and the regulation of chemical substances.
She is the author of numerous scientific publications and advises companies, associations, and government agencies worldwide on PFAS-related issues.
Downloadable Materials
To support your communication efforts, SPECTARIS provides a comprehensive information package:
the complete meta-report, a summary each for expert audiences, the media, and the general public, and three infographics that clearly summarize the key findings. All materials are available in German and English and can be used for communication with the media, policymakers, member companies, and other stakeholders.
When using these materials, please acknowledge SPECTARIS, as the report was commissioned by SPECTARIS . We would like to thank the sponsors who made the production of this report possible.
Report
Download Report
SPECTARIS Scientific Report
on Fluoropolymers End-of-Life 2026
Download Summary for Experts
Summary of the report for specialist audiences
Download General Summary
Summary of the Report
Graphs
Download Figure 1
“Degradation and Mineralization Rates of Fluoropolymers in Modern Incineration Plants”
Download Figure 2
“Overestimated Emission Assumptions in the ECHA Background Document Compared to Current Study Results”
Download Figure 3
“Comparison of Properties of Fluoropolymers vs. Other PFAS (Mobility, Bioaccumulation, Toxicity, Microplastics)”
ENGLISH
Fluoropolymers Are Being Separated from the PFAS Debate
A new review of the global scientific consensus recommends treating fluoropolymers separately
PFAS—often referred to as “forever chemicals”—have been at the center of an intense political and public debate for years. The reason: certain PFAS have drawn increasing regulatory attention worldwide because of their persistence, mobility, or potential risks to the environment and human health. The European Union is therefore currently considering a far-reaching restriction covering the entire group of substances.
What is less well known is that the term PFAS encompasses more than 14,000 different substances, which vary considerably in their chemical, physical, and biological properties, as well as in their applications and potential effects on people and the environment. Fluoropolymers constitute only a small subgroup within this large family of substances. They are used in numerous high-tech applications—including medical technology, photonics, analytics, biotechnology and laboratory technology, semiconductor manufacturing, and energy and communication systems. For many of these applications, no equivalent alternatives currently exist, nor are any expected in the foreseeable future.
Unlike those PFAS for which risks to people and the environment have been demonstrated, fluoropolymers do not migrate through water or air, do not accumulate in the body, and are not considered toxic. This raises a central question: should fluoropolymers be treated the same as all other PFAS at the center of the regulatory debate?
A New Review of the International Scientific Evidence
This is the question addressed by the new meta-report, "Scientific Report on Fluoropolymers End-of-Life 2026," by American toxicologist and regulatory expert Dr. Barbara J. Henry, commissioned by the German industry association SPECTARIS.
The report assesses the current scientific understanding of end-of-life emissions from fluoropolymers and examines whether the assumptions underlying the ongoing PFAS restriction process are supported by the available scientific evidence.
The analysis reaches a clear conclusion: fluoropolymers occupy a special position within the PFAS group and should be assessed separately, treated differently from other PFAS, or excluded from a blanket PFAS restriction.
Emissions Can Be Responsibly Controlled Throughout the Entire Life Cycle
Scientific studies from the past 20 years show that modern, EU-compliant incineration facilities are now capable of destroying fluoropolymers almost completely, limiting end-of-life emissions to a negligible minimum. Under real-world operating conditions and in compliance with current European standards, destruction rates ranging from 99.7 to over 99.9999 percent have been recorded—well above the assumptions underlying the current restriction process.
The underlying emission assumptions themselves are also called into question: according to the report's analysis, the values used in ECHA's background document are significantly overestimated—for air emissions, potentially by a factor of up to 10,000, and for emissions into water and landfill leachate, by a factor of roughly 33.6.
Fluoropolymers Differ Fundamentally From Other PFAS
Beyond incineration, fluoropolymers also differ markedly from many other PFAS: they are neither water-soluble nor do they adhere to soil or evaporate into the air. They have very low bioavailability and are not considered bioaccumulative. They also require no plasticizers, flame retardants, or other common plastic additives—meaning fluoropolymers cannot release substances into the environment that they do not themselves contain.
With regard to potential risks posed by microplastics, the author currently sees no evidence of hazards specific to fluoropolymers: available data show that fluoropolymers do not break down into microparticles through exposure to sunlight, water, or microbial processes. In landfills, they are weather-resistant and resist fragmentation and mechanical breakdown. They account for only about 0.1 percent of total plastic consumption in Europe.
Key Findings at a Glance
- Fluoropolymers differ fundamentally from many other PFAS: they are non-toxic, do not bioaccumulate, are immobile, and have very low bioavailability.
- Current scientific evidence does not support the assumption that fluoropolymers pose an unacceptable end-of-life risk.
- Modern, EU-compliant incineration facilities achieve destruction and mineralization rates ranging from 99.7 to over 99.9999 percent.
- According to the report's analysis, the emission assumptions used in ECHA's background document are significantly overestimated (air: by a factor of up to 10,000; water/landfill leachate: by a factor of roughly 33.6).
- Fluoropolymers have been used safely in medical devices for more than 60 years; manufacturing emissions have been significantly reduced in recent years.
- Further research on microplastics is needed—but the data available so far show no evidence of risks specific to fluoropolymers (share of plastic consumption: approximately 0.1 percent).
- In the author's view, the scientific evidence supports a separate assessment of fluoropolymers and their exemption from the proposed PFAS restriction.
About the Author
Dr. Barbara J. Henry is a toxicologist and an internationally recognized expert in the risk and hazard assessment of PFAS and fluoropolymers. For more than 40 years, she has worked on issues related to product safety, environmental assessment, and the regulation of chemical substances.
She is the author of numerous scientific publications and advises companies, associations, and government agencies worldwide on PFAS-related issues.
Materials for Download
To support your communications, SPECTARIS has put together a comprehensive information package
… the full meta-report, one summary for expert audiences and one for the media and the general public, and three infographics that clearly summarize the key findings. All materials are available in German and English and may be used to communicate with the media, policymakers, member companies, and other stakeholders.
When using these materials, please clearly cite SPECTARIS, as the report was commissioned by SPECTARIS. We thank the sponsors who made the creation of this report possible.
Report
Download Report
SPECTARIS Scientific Report
on Fluoropolymers End-of-Life 2026
Download “Expert Summary”
Summary of the report for professional audiences
Download General Summary
Summary of the report
Graphics
Download Figure 1
“Destruction and mineralization rates of fluoropolymers in modern incineration facilities”
Download Figure 2
“Overestimated emission assumptions in ECHA’s background document compared with current study results”
Download Figure 3
“Comparison of the properties of fluoropolymers versus other PFAS (mobility, bioaccumulation, toxicity, microplastics)”
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