France Bans ‘Forever Chemicals’ In Clothing And Cosmetics
France has begun enforcing a wide-ranging ban on the production and sale of products containing PFAS, the so-called forever chemicals, marking one of Europe’s most decisive moves yet against the widely used but controversial substances.
The ban, which comes into effect from January 1, 2026, targets most clothing items, cosmetics, and ski wax that contain PFAS, while also mandating regular nationwide testing of drinking water for all forms of these chemicals. Certain industrial textiles deemed “essential” have been exempted.
Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are synthetic chemicals developed in the late 1940s and prized for their resistance to heat, water and stains. They are used in a vast array of everyday products, from non-stick cookware and waterproof jackets to carpets, food packaging and dental floss. However, their extreme persistence in the environment has earned them the nickname “forever chemicals.”
Because PFAS do not readily degrade, they have accumulated in soil, groundwater and living organisms, contaminating food systems and drinking water supplies. Scientists have detected the chemicals in some of the planet’s most remote locations, as well as in human blood and brain tissue.
A growing body of research links long-term PFAS exposure even at low levels to serious health risks, including liver damage, elevated cholesterol, weakened immune response, low birth weight and several forms of cancer.
The French legislation, approved by parliament in February, prohibits the manufacture, import and sale of products, for which PFAS-free alternatives already exist, starting January 2026. While non-stick cookware was initially included, it was removed following intense lobbying from manufacturers, including French cookware giant Tefal.
In addition to product bans, the law requires authorities to systematically monitor PFAS contamination in drinking water, reflecting mounting public concern after studies found traces of the chemicals in the vast majority of French tap water samples.
Globally, PFAS regulation remains fragmented. Thousands of PFAS variants exist, and while some such as PFOA and PFOS, have been restricted under the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants, major producers like the United States and China are not signatories to the treaty.
Regulatory momentum is nevertheless building. Several U.S. states, including California, have banned the intentional use of PFAS in cosmetics from 2025, with more states expected to follow in 2026. Denmark will prohibit PFAS in clothing, footwear and waterproof consumer goods from July 2026 and has already banned PFAS in food packaging.
At the European level, a bloc-wide PFAS ban remains under discussion, but no comprehensive regulation has yet been introduced.
France’s move now places it at the forefront of global efforts to curb PFAS pollution, raising pressure on manufacturers, regulators and other governments to accelerate the transition away from ‘forever chemicals’.
