PFAS-coated clothes that are thrown away will often end up either incinerated or in landfill. Unless incinerated at very high temperatures (>1000oC), fluorinated polymers could release more harmful PFAS during burning. PFAS of environmental concern have also been found in landfill leachate. PFAS is found in treated waste water from industrial and domestic sources and has been found in both rivers and groundwater. Conventional drinking water processes will not remove PFAS.Small quantities of PFAS will be removed during wash and wear of products containing PFAS. This includes fluorinated polymers used on stain-resistant coatings, and non-polymers that remain on clothes after production (Lassen et al. 2015).Non-polymer PFAS can build up in blood protein of animals, and is not always removed quickly. This means that predators eating PFAS-contaminated food will have higher levels in their bloodstream, and concentrations can increase up the food chain. Studies suggest that build up of PFAS is similar to those of other Persistent Organic Pollutants such as DDT.PFAS are estimated to be settling in arctic regions at rates of tens to hundreds of kilograms per year (25-850kg per year), depending on the specific PFAS chemical in question. Certain PFAS are released as gases to the environment and are blown a long way by wind and air currents in the atmosphere,. These gas PFAS will over time degrade to more persistent chemicals like PFOS and PFOA. This may be one reason why PFAS of environmental concern have been found in remote regions such as the Arctic as well as near PFAS production sitesPFAS including PFOS and PFOA have been found in air samples around Europe. The chemicals are found in small quantities, but appear in almost all samples tested. PFAS enters the atmosphere both from factories and the air inside our homes. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17554424 Non-polymer PFAS are used in the production of fluorinated polymers. The manufacture of stain-resistant finishes generally releases these PFASs into the environment, both by air and water emissions. They are very hard to remove during water treatment. Workers in textiles factories are some of the population most exposed to these potentially harmful chemicals.

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12 Key Asks for the Chemical Strategy

Fidra, alongside other health and environmental NGOs, have produced 12 Key Asks for the UK Chemicals Strategy, outlining essential goals for effective protection of public health and the environment.

The UK Chemicals Strategy must provide strong, effective protection for UK citizens, wildlife and the environment from harmful chemicals. To ensure this level of protection, the strategy must:

Prioritise prevention and precaution
Phase out the most hazardous chemicals from consumer products for all non-essential uses
Protect UK citizens and the environment from endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs)
Phase out the use of PFAS and other very persistent chemicals
Speed up regulation of harmful chemicals and avoid regrettable substitution by adopting a grouping approach
Address the ‘cocktail effect’
Maintain and expand on workers’ health and safety
Ensure a clean circular economy with products that are safe by design
Develop an effective monitoring and alert system
Stop the continued accumulation of legacy chemicals in the environment
Remain aligned with the world-leading chemical regulation EU REACH
Ensure more transparency and use of all relevant science for assessing health risks

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Create Date 21st July 2022
Last Updated 22nd September 2023