PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances) are a large family of synthetic chemicals characterized by strong carbon-fluorine bonds and used for properties such as resistance to water, grease, heat, or chemical degradation.
Some PFAS have been used in food-contact applications, including materials designed to resist grease or moisture. PFAS have attracted scientific and regulatory attention because many are highly persistent and some have been associated with adverse health effects.
PFAS are not one chemical but a large and diverse group of substances with different properties and toxicity profiles. Some PFAS can persist in the environment and some can remain in the human body for extended periods.
QUICK FACT
The term PFAS covers thousands of substances; conclusions about one PFAS should not automatically be applied identically to every PFAS.
COMMONLY CONFUSED WITH
- Phthalates: a chemically different family of substances.
- Plasticizers: a functional category that includes some chemicals used to make plastics more flexible; PFAS are not synonymous with plasticizers.
- Forever chemicals: “Forever chemicals” is an umbrella catchphrase commonly used for PFAS due to their extreme resistance to breaking down, but the term also broadly encompasses other highly persistent, bioaccumulative synthetic compounds under emerging scrutiny, such as chlorinated paraffins, cyclic siloxanes, and certain bisphenols (like BPA).
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