--- title: "How does the PFAS ban affect the plastics industry?" id: "2530" type: "post" slug: "how-does-the-pfas-ban-affect-the-plastics-industry" published_at: "2023-11-28T15:36:13+00:00" modified_at: "2024-01-30T16:27:01+00:00" url: "https://www.plasticsengineering.org/2023/11/how-does-the-pfas-ban-affect-the-plastics-industry-002530/" markdown_url: "https://www.plasticsengineering.org/2023/11/how-does-the-pfas-ban-affect-the-plastics-industry-002530.md" excerpt: "Companies that produce Fluoropolymers may try to switch to PFAS-free solutions or ask for an exemption, which could be temporary." taxonomy_category: - "Additives & Colorants" - "Adhesives" - "Aerospace" - "Automotive & Transportation" - "Blow Molding" - "Business" - "Cast Film/Sheet" - "Circular Economy" - "Compounding" - "Decorating & Coatings" - "Education & Training" - "Electrical & Electronics" - "Extrusion" - "Film" - "Flexible Packaging" - "Foaming Agents" - "Food Packaging" - "Hybrid Manufacturing" - "Industry" - "Injection Molding" - "Legal Analysis" - "Materials" - "Medical" - "Packaging" - "People" - "Polyolefins" - "Process" - "Regulation" - "Resins" - "Silicones" - "Strategy" - "Sustainability" - "Thermoforming" - "Thermoplastics" - "Trending" - "Wire & Cable" taxonomy_post_tag: - "Additives/colorants" - "Automotive/Transportation" - "Blow molding" - "Circular Economy" - "electrical/electronics" - "Food Packaging" - "PFAs" - "polymer process aids" - "Polymerization aid" - "Polyolefins" - "Thermoplastics" --- [Home](https://www.plasticsengineering.org/) » [News](https://www.plasticsengineering.org/news/) » [Industry](https://www.plasticsengineering.org/c/industry/) » How does the PFAS ban affect the plastics industry? # How does the PFAS ban affect the plastics industry? Industries, such as biomedical, use fluoropolymers, especially PTFE, for a wide variety of products, from surgical instruments to guidewires and catheters. This is because PTFE has the lowest coefficient of friction of all polymers, and is self-lubricating and inert. Another concern is the rigorous regulation of medical devices, making material changes a lengthy and approval-intensive process.### Many applications rely on PFASs and fluoropolymers, but not in all cases can they be substituted as quickly as the legislation requires. PFASs are on their way to being prohibited in the European Union, and the U.S. will continue that policy. According to the European Chemicals Agency classification, most fluoropolymers fall into perfluoroalkylated and polyfluoroalkylated substances (PFAS), which justifies their ban. But what about applications that rely on them? ## **Switch to PFAS-free alternatives** Companies now have two options, [try to switch to PFAS-free solutions](https://www.plasticsengineering.org/2023/10/food-contact-paper-straws-contain-pfas-002062/) or ask for an exemption, which could be temporary. Since using PFAS as polymerization aids is the main cause of PFAS emissions related to the fluoropolymer life cycle, several additive companies have developed PFAS-free auxiliaries to comply with the looming ban. Companies such as Avient, [AMPACET](https://www.ampacet.com/masterbatch-products/ampacet-process/pfas-free-polymer-process-aid/) , [MOMENTIVE](https://go.momentive.com/silquest_pa1_webinar) , BAERLOCHER, and GFL have developed different polymer processing aids with different chemistries. Depending on the application, one will be more suitable than another. These solutions directly solve problems such as melt fracture, matrix formation, energy consumption, dimensional and thermal stability, and flame retardancy. ## **Finding a substitute as quickly as the legislation requires** Other industries, such as biomedical, use fluoropolymers, especially PTFE, for a wide variety of products, from surgical instruments to guidewires and catheters. This is because PTFE has the lowest coefficient of friction of all polymers, and is self-lubricating and inert. Another concern is the rigorous regulation of medical devices, making material changes a lengthy and approval-intensive process. The aerospace sector, also, may encounter challenges in substituting PFAS due to its need for standardized solutions, potentially extending the transition period. But requesting an exception is, for many experts, an option to gain time to move to a PFAS-free solution. In the long term, this could create a crisis in the material supply chain, as some PFAS producers may choose to withdraw from the market in 2025. By **[Juliana Montoya](https://www.plasticsengineering.org/author/jmontoyaplasticsengineering-org/)** | November 28, 2023 [https://www.plasticsengineering.org](https://www.plasticsengineering.org) ##### [Juliana Montoya](https://www.plasticsengineering.org/author/jmontoyaplasticsengineering-org/) [Website](https://www.plasticsengineering.org) | [+ postsBio ⮌](#) ### Other posts you could read [May 15, 2026Feedstocks for Light Olefins, Steam Cracking & Decarbonization](https://www.plasticsengineering.org/2026/05/feedstocks-for-light-olefins-steam-cracking-decarbonization-011260/) [May 7, 2026PCR Plastics Are Redefining Aesthetic Standards](https://www.plasticsengineering.org/2026/05/pcr-plastics-are-redefining-aesthetic-standards-011186/) [May 21, 2026Rheological Additives for Low-Roughness Aerospace Coatings](https://www.plasticsengineering.org/2026/05/rheological-additives-for-low-roughness-aerospace-coatings-011279/) [May 18, 2026Packaging Redesign: Why Most Fail and What Drives Success](https://www.plasticsengineering.org/2026/05/packaging-redesign-why-most-fail-and-what-drives-success-011263/) [May 5, 2026Assessing the Limits of Circularity in Healthcare Plastics](https://www.plasticsengineering.org/2026/05/assessing-the-limits-of-circularity-in-healthcare-plastics-011180/) [May 1, 2026High-Viscosity Photopolymers Transform Additive Manufacturing](https://www.plasticsengineering.org/2026/05/high-viscosity-photopolymers-transform-additive-manufacturing-011153/) [April 28, 2026IKV Colloquium 2026: The Journey of Research and Industry](https://www.plasticsengineering.org/2026/04/ikv-colloquium-2026-the-journey-of-research-and-industry-010989/) [May 13, 2026The Logistics Challenge of Scaling Mechanical Recycling](https://www.plasticsengineering.org/2026/05/the-logistics-challenge-of-scaling-mechanical-recycling-011251/) ## Share Your Thoughts [Cancel reply](/2023/11/how-does-the-pfas-ban-affect-the-plastics-industry-002530/#respond) - [https://twitter.com/share?url=https://www.plasticsengineering.org/?p=2530&text=How+does+the+PFAS+ban+affect+the+plastics+industry%3F&via=Plastics_Mag](https://twitter.com/share?url=https://www.plasticsengineering.org/?p=2530&text=How+does+the+PFAS+ban+affect+the+plastics+industry%3F&via=Plastics_Mag) - [https://www.facebook.com/sharer.php?u=https://www.plasticsengineering.org/?p=2530&t=How+does+the+PFAS+ban+affect+the+plastics+industry%3F](https://www.facebook.com/sharer.php?u=https://www.plasticsengineering.org/?p=2530&t=How+does+the+PFAS+ban+affect+the+plastics+industry%3F) - [https://www.linkedin.com/shareArticle?mini=true&url=https://www.plasticsengineering.org/?p=2530&title=How%20does%20the%20PFAS%20ban%20affect%20the%20plastics%20industry?&summary=Companies+that+produce+Fluoropolymers+may+try+to+switch+to+PFAS-free+solutions+or+ask+for+an+exemption%2C+which+could+be+temporary.&source=Plastics+Engineering](https://www.linkedin.com/shareArticle?mini=true&url=https://www.plasticsengineering.org/?p=2530&title=How%20does%20the%20PFAS%20ban%20affect%20the%20plastics%20industry?&summary=Companies+that+produce+Fluoropolymers+may+try+to+switch+to+PFAS-free+solutions+or+ask+for+an+exemption%2C+which+could+be+temporary.&source=Plastics+Engineering) - [https://www.reddit.com/submit?url=https://www.plasticsengineering.org/?p=2530&title=How+does+the+PFAS+ban+affect+the+plastics+industry%3F](https://www.reddit.com/submit?url=https://www.plasticsengineering.org/?p=2530&title=How+does+the+PFAS+ban+affect+the+plastics+industry%3F) - [/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#ffc08c8a9d959a9c8bc2af939e8c8b969c8cdfba919896919a9a8d969198dfd2dfb79088df9b909a8cdf8b979adfafb9beacdf9d9e91df9e99999a9c8bdf8b979adf8f939e8c8b969c8cdf96919b8a8c8b8d86c0d99d909b86c2978b8b8f8cc5d0d0888888d18f939e8c8b969c8c9a919896919a9a8d969198d1908d98d0c08fc2cdcacccf](/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#ffc08c8a9d959a9c8bc2af939e8c8b969c8cdfba919896919a9a8d969198dfd2dfb79088df9b909a8cdf8b979adfafb9beacdf9d9e91df9e99999a9c8bdf8b979adf8f939e8c8b969c8cdf96919b8a8c8b8d86c0d99d909b86c2978b8b8f8cc5d0d0888888d18f939e8c8b969c8c9a919896919a9a8d969198d1908d98d0c08fc2cdcacccf) - [#comments](#comments)