Very present in your interior, PFAS, these eternal pollutants can hide in your non-stick pans or even your cosmetic products.
This Thursday, April 4, 2024, deputies are examining the bill aimed at “protecting the population from the risks linked to PFAS”, these eternal pollutants present in certain kitchen utensils and even in waterproof textiles. The text is included on the agenda by the Ecologist group in the National Assembly. This bill from Nicolas Thierry was adopted by the Sustainable Development Committee on Wednesday March 27, but in a lighter version. The debates should rage more this Thursday in the hemicycle. If the bill were to be adopted, the use of the majority of PFAS could be banned from 2025.
Certain stoves and mineral waters covered
PFAS have been the subject of widespread media coverage in recent months due to their potential for massive contamination of the population and their danger to human health. A new document from the National Security Agency for Food, Environmental and Occupational Health Safety (ANSES), unveiled by France Info and Le Monde this Thursday, rightly points out the contamination of certain natural mineral waters sold in bottles. It concerns waters from the Nestlé group: Perrier, Vittel, Contrex and Hépar which contain, among other things, PFAS. The problem is that these famous “eternal pollutants” are present everywhere in our daily lives and are potentially carcinogenic.
PFAS are first of all present in certain kitchen utensils. Particularly in Teflon pans, a non-stick coating, which is practical but which contaminates food when fine particles come off after numerous uses, or too much contact with the blade of a knife. Several solutions exist to do without this type of utensil. In fact, stainless steel, cast iron, copper, iron or steel have healthier coatings even if they are more difficult to maintain.
Cosmetic products and ceramics singled out
They are also present in certain cosmetics as in the majority of perfluorinated products. Here, PFAS appear in the form of residues or traces that can irritate the skin. Plasticized food packaging, too, may contain PFAS. Cardboard straws and pizza boxes are particularly in the eye of the storm. At the European level, a directive which will come into force in 2026 and aims to ban pollutants in packaging in contact with food. Finally, PFAS can also be used to waterproof the fabrics of your favorite sofa or waterproof sportswear. To find out if your windbreaker contains it, read its label. The labels bluesign, Oeko-Tex Or Green Shape are in principle guarantees of safety.
Please note, although ceramic coating has become more popular in recent years, particularly for simmering delicious dishes, and it is generally presented as “PFAS-free”, this is not the case. According to a test carried out in January 2024, theUFC-What to choose identified 3 PFAS out of the 70 searched for in the Renew One of Tefal (ceramic). If the quantities found are minimal, it remains essential to be wary of these “PFAS-free” indications which could turn out to be misleading.