PFAS – phasing out hazardous substances

Per- and Polyfluorinated Alkyl Substances (PFAS) includes over 4700 different highly fluorinated chemically produced substances. The various PFAS substances are nowadays found in many consumer products, e.g. to repel water, dirt and grease. PFAS is used, for example, as a surface treatment in clothing, shoes and food packaging, but also in fire-fighting foam, ski wax, cosmetics, furniture fabrics and electronics.

There are essential uses of PFAS, for example fire-fighting foam that can extinguish liquid fires of various kinds, and there are non-essential uses, such as coating in frying pans and ski wax. In both areas of use, RISE supports the industry in developing health and environmentally friendly alternatives.

We can support you throughout the whole process from identification of chemicals to final product.

We offer:

• Interpretation of legislation
• Identification of PFAS in your product or process
• Development of tailor-made methods for your application
• Suggestions for alternative substances or solutions providing a similar function
• Development of prototypes
• Inventory and evaluation of PFAS-free solutions within your product area
• Functional testing of new alternativeson
  • a laboratory scale
  • on a larger scale
• Evaluation of health and environmental effects
• Optimization and upscaling of your production process for PFAS-free alternatives

The project Testbed PFAS evaluates the future PFAS-free fire extinguish means and methods.

The POPFREE project promotes and evaluates alternatives, e.g. new PFAS-free ski waxes.