PFAS Rules Are Changing Fast in 2025: What Specialty Chemical Buyers Need to Do Now

The PFAS landscape just shifted—again

Regulators in Europe advanced a broad PFAS restriction proposal under REACH, publishing an updated text and timeline signals in late August 2025. The move follows France’s national PFAS law, which phases out many uses as soon as 2026 (all textiles by 2030, with narrow exemptions). Expect downstream pressure on suppliers and rapid spec changes across apparel, packaging, and industrial markets.

Why this matters for procurement—and your formulations

• Category-wide risk: Even “short-chain” PFAS may fall within scope; buyers should assume phased restrictions, labeling burdens, and potential supply exits.

• Early signals from fashion & textiles: France’s ban is already reshaping DWR (durable water repellent) choices; brands are migrating to PFAS-free chemistries.

• Hidden liabilities (TFA): Breakdown products like trifluoroacetic acid (TFA) are drawing extra scrutiny in EU risk assessment—watch this space for tighter controls.

Practical steps: How to de-risk in Q3–Q4 2025

1. Inventory your PFAS touchpoints (coatings, membranes, lubricants, surfactants). Map CAS/RN coverage vs. the current proposal text.

2. Run dual-track trials with PFAS-free alternatives in DWR, barrier coatings, and release agents. Expect spec re-validation cycles.

3. Qualify greener solvents where PFAS enabled soil/oil resistance but not core performance (e.g., switch cleaning/degreasing steps to citrus-based D-Limonene (Tech Grade) where appropriate). Market data suggests stable demand growth for d-limonene—ensure supply diversity.

4. Ask for disclosure depth: require suppliers to confirm PFAS status at substance and mixture levels; maintain an evidence trail for audits.

What to test as PFAS alternatives (shortlist)

• Bio-based surfactants/biosurfactants (e.g., sophorolipids, rhamnolipids) for wetting and detergency.

• Microencapsulated additives for controlled hydrophobicity/release without fluorinated backbones.

• Citrus-based solvents (limonene) for cleaning/degreasing lines, with VOC and worker-safety reviews.

How Chemrich can help

• PFAS-Free Sourcing Sprint: Use our AI Sourcing Platform to shortlist compliant, PFAS-free chemistries and obtain COAs/SDS in one place.

• Formulation Fast-Track: With IntelliForm™, we set up A/B/C trials of non-PFAS DWRs, wetting agents, and solvent systems—targeting equivalent performance at lower total cost.