Current Status Of The PFAS Industry

Last Updated on January 20, 2024 by Asfa Rasheed

An industry is an accumulation of many factories building products to either aid agricultural production or to serve as final consumption goods for the people of the world. PFAS industries are centered on the usage of Per-and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances(PFAS) in manufacturing commodities.

PFAS is a set of fabricated chemicals that can be subdivided into at least 4000 kinds-Perfluorohexane Sulfonate (PFHxS), Perfluorooctane Sulfonate (PFOS), and Perfluorooctanoic Acid (PFOA)  are some examples. These chemicals are used in a variety of fields, be they, related to aircraft, vehicles, buildings, or electronic appliances.

PFAS Treatment comes in handy to minimize the ill effects of this harmful, persistent chemical.

The contemporary status of the PFAS industry are as follows:-

Abolition of the usage of PFAS as fire-fighting foams in South Australia: 

The prohibition on fire-fighting foams started on 30th January 2018. The prime reason for this ban was the fact that PFAS is a hazardous chemical that stays in the soils and the environment for prolonged periods and even keeps on accumulating as one goes higher up in the food chain.

PFAS are no longer used in the food industry of the United States: 

As per a  study conducted in the beginning decade of 2000, new information came to the fore that highlighted the harmful effects of the C8 compounds also known as long-chain compounds. 

PFAS Treatment mitigates the adverse environmental effects of these compounds. Examples of C8 compounds are- Perfluorooctane Sulfonate (PFOS), and Perfluorooctanoic Acid (PFOA). In the year 2016, the Food And Drug Administration(FDA) took back the permit of usage of these C8 compounds in providing the paper board used for placing food items.

The International Federation of Gynaecology and Obstetrics (FIGO) recommends the non-usage of PFAS: 

FIGO emphasizes using PFAS free furniture, food packaging, and upholstery.

Many manufacturers have stopped the usage of short-chain PFAS in manufacturing their products: 

Short-chain PFAS have five or fewer five carbons and cause deterioration of the kidneys and the liver.

The European Commission is eager to reduce the usage of PFAS by the year 2030: 

The European Commission wants European countries to tackle PFAS as a collective chemical rather than focusing on each of the 4000 plus chemicals. The ideology behind this plan of thought is that PFAS when taken as a whole will take a shorter period to be eliminated thoroughly.

Now You Know!

The above-mentioned points give an overview of the prevalent standing of PFAS in various industries. One can very well observe that throughout the world, the authorities are initiating steps to reduce and ultimately completely ban the usage of these chemicals. 
Membrane Systems Australia aims to reduce the havoc caused by PFAS. The complete prohibition of PFAS will take time but the past and present effects of these chemicals continue to exist in the soil, water, and air. Water is treated in our water treatment plants which eliminate more than 95%of of long and short-chain PFAs in one go.