PFAS and PFC's

PFAS, PFCs, you have undoubtedly heard of them. These days, we are increasingly hearing the phrase PFC-free. But what does it all mean? And is it important? To the second question, the answer is yes. For the answer to the first question, we need a bit more text. Read it quickly in this blog on the how and what of PFCs.

Table of contents

• PFAS, PFOS, PFOA of PFC?
• The harmful consequences of PFCs
• Where do we mostly encounter PFCs?
• The transition to a PFC-free outdoor industry

PFAS, PFOS, PFOA of PFC?

PFAS stands for per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances. PFC is an abbreviation for Perfluorinated Chemicals. Both terms refer to a collection of fluorinated chemicals with small different molecular structures with fairly similar functions. In the outdoor and apparel industries, these abbreviations are often used interchangeably, but basically mean the same thing. We mainly use the term PFC. Sometimes you also come across the abbreviations PFOS (perfluorooctane sulphonic acid) and PFOA (perfluorooctanoic acid). These are examples of a PFC. PFCs are notably used to make materials grease-repellent, dirt-repellent and water repellent Unfortunately, they also have some less positive characteristics, which is why practically all brands aim to stop using PFCs (in the short term).

Sometimes we also come across abbreviations such as C4, C6 or C8 in relation to PFCs. In this case, the C refers to carbon atoms and the number to the length of this carbon chain. C8 PFCs are also called long-chain PFCs and C6 PFCs are short-chain PFCs. C4 PFCs can be thought of as PFCs with an even shorter carbon chain. The shorter the carbon chain of the PFC, the less harmful it is to humans and the environment. However, there is quite a lot of debate about how true this claim is. Research on it is still limited in number and the results are not always unequivocal. In any case, it is certain that even C4 PFCs still have a harmful effect on humans and the environment.

The harmful consequences of PFCs

PFCs are also called "forever chemicals". This refers to the property of these chemicals that makes them not biodegradable or hardly degradable. In other words, they do not disappear. In fact, because we use them permanently, they accumulate. Despite the fact that PFCs are man-made and therefore do not occur naturally in nature, we encounter them all over the world. Not only in crowded cities, but also in the world's most remote places, such as Antarctica. We find them not only in the outside world, but also in plants, animals and people. In fact, PFCs spread very easily through the air, soil or water. Humans ingest PFCs mainly through food and water (ratio 3 to 1).

In certain quantities, PFCs can have harmful effects on our health. For instance, at multi-year exposures, the immune system can start functioning less well. At higher concentrations, your liver function and cholesterol levels can also be negatively affected, and in extreme cases, it can also cause cancer. However, the exact effect on humans and the environment varies for each PFC. Fortunately, governments are not standing still. For instance, the use of the aforementioned PFOS has already been banned since 2006 and the same applies to the use of PFOA since 2020. In addition, the Netherlands, together with Denmark, Germany, Norway and Sweden, has submitted a proposal to the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) to have all PFCs banned.

Where do we mostly encounter PFCs?

PFCs are thus very good at making materials grease, dirt and water repellent. Logically, we therefore encounter them a lot in articles for which those properties are sought after. Think of the non-stick coating in many pans (Teflon, a brand name for polytetrafluoroethylene, belongs to the family of PFCs), fire extinguishing foam, pizza boxes (since 1 July 2022 limited to 1 type of PFC), outdoor equipment and outdoor clothing. A common application of PFCs in both outdoor equipment and outdoor clothing is DWR impregnation, which aims to make the fabric especially water-repellent. We also see PFCs a lot in waterproof membranes . This concerns only microporous membranes, by the way. Non-porous membranes do not use PFCs. Read more about this in our blog on membranes in clothing.

HSo how do these PFCs then end up in nature? Firstly, in the form of emissions from and waste from factories working with PFAS products. A now well-known (and infamous) example of this is the DuPont/Chemours plant in Dordrecht. But we, nature lovers, can also spread PFCs directly. Simply by using products containing PFCs. The PFCs in these products will wear off very slowly when used and thus end up in nature.

The transition to a PFC-free outdoor industry

It is therefore extremely important that we move towards a PFC-free outdoor industry. And fortunately, this message has also got across to practically all outdoor brands. A few brands are already completely PFC-free, but most are expected to need a few more years. The problem is that an eco-friendly alternative with exactly the same properties has not yet always been found for PFCs. Especially brands that - when it comes to quality - serve the absolute top segment are struggling with this tension between their own quality and sustainability goals. Regardless, these brands have almost all indicated that they expect to stop using PFCs in the near future. Innovation will play an important role in this. New legislation as well as choices by consumers and other buyers will also help.

So we ourselves also play a role when it comes to the spread of PFCs. It is quite understandable if you choose to use only products without PFCs. We try to help you as much as possible by clearly indicating whether or not a product contains PFCs. If you see the term "100% PFC-free" on a product, then you can assume that it is clean of PFCs.

Hopefully we have been able to give you a little insight into the world of PFAS and PFCs. If you still have some questions after reading this blog. Or do you need help choosing a PFC-free product? Then contact our customer service team. We are happy to help you with your questions.