France wins its first victory in the fight against "eternal pollutants", nicknamed PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkylated substances)..

February 20, 2025 marks a decisive turning point in water management and the protection of our health. The French National Assembly definitively adopted the draft law aimed at regulating the use of PFAS. This legislation is hailed as one of the strictest in the world. It represents a historic step forward for drinking water treatment, wastewater treatment and the fight against industrial contamination.

PFAS: ubiquitous and persistent substances.
PFAS include over 4,000 chemical compounds. They are widely used in industry for their water- and oil-repellent properties. We find them in textiles, food packaging, cosmetics, household products and even the water we drink.
The problem with PFASs? Their extreme resistance in the environment and their toxic potential for human health. Once released, these compounds persist for years. They contaminate soil, water and living organisms. According to the European Environment Agency, they are responsible for numerous health problems. For example, thyroid disease, liver damage, kidney cancer, high cholesterol levels, etc. Because of their great resistance in the environment, they represent a major source of pollution, hence their nickname of "eternal pollutants".

A collective mobilization to fight against PFAS.
This victory is the fruit of a remarkable mobilization, led by the ecologist MP Nicolas Thierry. He points out: "In a relatively short space of time, two and a half years, thanks to the mobilization of parliamentarians, NGOs, scientists and investigative journalists, a subject that had been under the radar came to the forefront of public debate, to the point where France now has one of the most ambitious laws on PFAS in the world.
In the final analysis, this exemplary law lays the foundations for the treatment of industrial waste and water management.

The proposed law, as adopted, includes the following provisions:

✅ Ban from 2026 on the manufacture, import, export and marketing of cosmetics, clothing textiles, footwear and their waterproofing products containing PFAS.

✅ A ban on all textile products containing PFAS from 2030 . With exceptions, such as technical textiles for industrial use, which will be listed in the decree.

✅ Mandatory checks by health authorities on the presence of PFAS in drinking water.

✅ Government report to Parliament by 2026. It will propose updated health standards for all PFAS in drinking water.

✅ Adoption of a reduction trajectory towards zero PFAS in aqueous discharges from industrial facilities.

✅ Publication of an annual regional report on PFAS exposure in drinking water. As well as the publication of an annual national assessment of tap water quality by the Ministry of Health.

✅The application of the polluter-pays principle at €100 per 100g of PFAS discharged.

✅ The government adopts a financing strategy for the depollution of drinking water.

Did you know? InovaYais fully committed to this transition.

Our R&D team is currently working on the development of units capable of removing PFAS and other micropollutants from water. Our aim is to have a lower environmental impact than commonly used solutions (activated carbon).

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