France Bans PFAS in Many Products, but Not Cookware

A year ago, France embarked on an ambitious goal: To craft the world’s widest ranging ban on the use of harmful “forever chemicals” in everyday products.

On Friday, that effort culminated in a national ban on PFAS that environmental and health experts hailed as a big step forward, with one notable exception.

After campaigning by the home appliances manufacturer, Tefal — including a rowdy rally by employees wielding pots and pans — nonstick pans and other PFAS-containing cookware were excluded from the ban.

“Victory against PFAS in the National Assembly! France confirms that it can lead the way in protecting public health,” Nicolas Thierry, a politician of France’s Green Party who proposed the ban last year, wrote on Bluesky. Yet the exemption granted to cookware was his “biggest regret,” Mr. Thierry later told Le Monde, the French daily.

PFAS, or per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, are a class of chemicals used in items like nonstick cookware, water-repellent clothing, cosmetics and firefighting foam. Known commonly as “forever chemicals” because they don’t easily break down in the environment, PFAS can damage the liver and immune system and have also been linked to birth defects, developmental delays and an increased risk of certain cancers.

France’s new law, which goes into effect next year, bans the manufacture, trade and marketing of PFAS-containing cosmetics, footwear, certain textiles and ski wax. From 2030, the ban will cover all textiles containing the chemicals, except for protective clothing worn by firefighters and other professionals.

A year ago, France embarked on an ambitious goal: To craft the world’s widest ranging ban on the use of harmful “forever chemicals” in everyday products.

On Friday, that effort culminated in a national ban on PFAS that environmental and health experts hailed as a big step forward, with one notable exception.

After campaigning by the home appliances manufacturer, Tefal — including a rowdy rally by employees wielding pots and pans — nonstick pans and other PFAS-containing cookware were excluded from the ban.

“Victory against PFAS in the National Assembly! France confirms that it can lead the way in protecting public health,” Nicolas Thierry, a politician of France’s Green Party who proposed the ban last year, wrote on Bluesky. Yet the exemption granted to cookware was his “biggest regret,” Mr. Thierry later told Le Monde, the French daily.

PFAS, or per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, are a class of chemicals used in items like nonstick cookware, water-repellent clothing, cosmetics and firefighting foam. Known commonly as “forever chemicals” because they don’t easily break down in the environment, PFAS can damage the liver and immune system and have also been linked to birth defects, developmental delays and an increased risk of certain cancers.

France’s new law, which goes into effect next year, bans the manufacture, trade and marketing of PFAS-containing cosmetics, footwear, certain textiles and ski wax. From 2030, the ban will cover all textiles containing the chemicals, except for protective clothing worn by firefighters and other professionals.