Raise your voice – PFAS is on the brink
The EU plans to restrict the use of PFAS by 2026. This group of more than 10,000 persistent synthetic chemicals is accused of accumulating in the environment and in the human body and cause significant damages. Experts from the coatings industry and academia gathered at the “EC Conference Understanding PFAS and reformulating PFAS-free Coatings” in Cologne to discuss the situation.
It is a topic that concerns many coatings experts in these times. PFAS are known to have incomparable properties, they repel water, dirt and grease thanks to their stable carbon-fluorine bonds. They’ve got an outstanding resistance to heat, and chemicals and they can act as an electrical isolator. PFAS are important materials in various coating formulations. But now, Denmark, Germany, the Netherlands, Norway and Sweden are pushing for an EU-wide ban on PFAS from 2026. Over the past years, their authorities have analysed various PFAS, assessed their applications and potential hazards to create a draft ban.
PFAS alternatives: challenges and solutions
This now puts the coatings industry in a difficult position. Well-known and well-functioning coatings systems will soon no longer be able to be used. The market is noticeably demanding more and more pfas-free alternatives.
In their keynote speech, Lars Hoffmann und Ralf Knischke from BASF asked the question: “Are you RDY to Formulate the Future?” addressing the difficulties, but also the successes to date in finding appropriate alternatives. The discussions started right away. It was questioned whether all PFAS should really be banned or whether one should not take the trouble to look closely at which substances are dangerous and which are not. It depends on the application, it depends on the entire life cycle of the materials, especially it is about the end-of-life. In the technical presentations at the conference, all aspects were covered. There are already many good solutions for pfas-free coatings, handling the one or the other property. Bute there is no number one replacement for PFAS, each case needs its own tailored solution.
Missed the PFAS Conference? Here’s what wou need to know
You have missed the event? You can still benefit from the presentations and content. Here you can find our on demand package.
It is clear to see, that there is a long way to go for the coatings industry, because in times of sustainability demand, performance pressure and many other hurdles, it is a huge task to replace a versatile and high-performance material like pfas.
PFAS: open questions and networking
And there are many open questions. In the networking activity, the participants had the opportunity to defined their urgent questions, which they need to have answered in order to cope with the situation. The questions were raised and the experts connected to pave the way that needs to be travelled; together as one industry.
These questions will accompany us in the coming months and years. We will see what the future brings, and the coatings industry will continue to look for solutions together.
Join the next PFAS event in 2025
The next EC Conference on this important topic PFAS will take place on 03. – 04. Dec 2025, again Cologne, Germany and we are curious to see how many questions could be answered by then and how far the coatings industry has come. Don’t miss to be there, register now!
