France's parliament has voted to limit the production and sale of some products containing PFAS, including cosmetics and clothing

PFAS are human-made chemicals that have been used since the late 1940s to create non-stick, waterproof, and stain-resistant coatings for products like frying pans, umbrellas, carpets, dental floss, and ski wax. With thousands of variations, these chemicals share a common trait: carbon-fluorine bonds — some of the strongest in organic chemistry — making them highly resistant to degradation. As a result, PFAS persist in the environment for years, earning their "forever chemicals" label.

Structure of Perfluorooctanoic acid

Over time, PFAS have leached into soil, groundwater, and ultimately the food chain and drinking water. Alarming studies have detected PFAS across the planet — from the summit of Mount Everest to the depths of human bloodstreams and even brain tissue. Chronic exposure, even at low levels, has been linked to liver damage, high cholesterol, weakened immune responses, low birth weights, and several forms of cancer. They are categorized as either short- or long-chain compounds, which can influence their toxicity. Generally, as chain length increases, so does toxicity.

The French bill
On February 20, the National Assembly’s lower house passed the bill, originally proposed by the national Green party, with 231 votes in favor and 51 against. The upper house Senate had already approved the bill last year, and it now awaits President Emmanuel Macron’s signature to become law.

Starting in January 2026, the legislation will ban the production, import, or sale of products containing PFAS when safer alternatives are available. This includes cosmetics, ski wax, and most PFAS-treated clothing, with exceptions for "essential" industrial textiles.

Notably, a proposed ban on non-stick saucepans — which would have affected products like those made by French manufacturer Tefal — was removed after intense industry lobbying.

The law also mandates regular testing of drinking water for PFAS. Under new EU regulations effective next year, member states must test for 20 types of PFAS, but France’s law could allow authorities to check for even more, ensuring broader monitoring and protection.

PFAS in France: A growing concern
A recent study by consumer protection group UFC-Que Choisir and environmental NGO Générations Futures revealed the presence of PFAS in tap water across many French cities and towns, including Paris.

Furthermore, studies over the past five years (see related studies below) have shown that skiers using PFAS-containing ski wax to improve their speed have inadvertently polluted remote Alpine runways and soil. While most contamination stems from direct application, trace amounts have also been found deposited from the atmosphere.

European context and industry response
The European Union has been considering a ban on PFAS in consumer products, but no regulations have been enacted yet.

In the cosmetics industry, the OECD has identified 36 PFAS substances used to coat pigments, enhance color, improve texture, and increase water resistance. In response to growing pressure, the Cosmetics Europe association committed to phasing out all PFAS by 2026. The L'Oréal group has already transitioned "more than 99%" of its affected product portfolio away from these chemicals.

With this new legislation, France positions itself at the forefront of the fight against PFAS pollution, taking proactive steps to protect both public health and the environment.

U.S. FDA: Per and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) in Cosmetics

Related EVISA Resources

Brief summary: The role of elemental speciation in legislation

Gail L. Carlson, Skylar Tupper, Ski wax use contributes to environmental contamination by per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, Chemosphere, 261 (2020) 128078. DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2020.128078

Juliane Glüge, Martin Scheringer, Ian T. Cousins, Jamie C. DeWitt, Gretta Goldenman, Dorte Herzke, Rainer Lohmann, Carla A. Ng, Xenia Trieri, Zhanyun Wang, An overview of the uses of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS)†, Environ. Sci.: Processes Impacts, 22 (2020) 2345-2373. DOI: 10.1039/d0em00291g

M. Kotthoff, J. Müller, H. Jürling, M. Schlummer, D. Fiedler, Perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances in consumer products. Environ. Sci. Pollut. Res., 22/19 (2015) 14546– 14559,  DOI: 10.1007/s11356-015-4202-7

last time modified: March 11, 2025