Bottles of nail polish at a manufacturing unit manufacturing L’Oréal merchandise in France. Pool BUU GAILLARDE / Gamma-Rapho by way of Getty Pictures
Why you may belief us
Based in 2005 as an Ohio-based environmental newspaper, EcoWatch is a digital platform devoted to publishing high quality, science-based content material on environmental points, causes, and options.
The French Parliament voted on Thursday for bold new laws to restrict the sale and manufacturing of some merchandise that comprise poisonous per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) “endlessly chemical compounds,” together with cosmetics, most clothes and ski wax.
The invoice seeks to forestall the import, sale and manufacturing of any product that has an alternative choice to PFAS, besides sure industrial textiles which can be deemed “important,” starting in January of 2026, reported AFP.
“In a comparatively quick area of time, two and a half years, due to the mobilization of members of parliament, NGOs, scientists and investigative journalists, a topic that was underneath the radar has made its means into the general public debate, to the purpose the place France now has one of many world’s most bold legal guidelines on PFAS,” mentioned French environmentalist Nicolas Thierry, a Inexperienced Occasion MP and the invoice’s rapporteur, as Le Monde reported.
France adopts ‘one of the crucial bold’ legal guidelines on PFAS
[image or embed]
— Le Monde in English (@lemonde-en.bsky.social) February 20, 2025 at 8:39 AM
Solely final month, well being and environmental organizations all through Europe wrote a joint letter urging President of the European Fee Ursula von der Leyen to take motion in opposition to PFAS.
The coalition referred to as on von der Leyen to “finish the worst air pollution disaster in human historical past” with a ban on the hazardous substances. She had promised to take action underneath the European Inexperienced Deal’s 2022 “zero air pollution” technique.
PFAS are a gaggle of 1000’s of human-made chemical compounds used to make merchandise waterproof, nonstick and stain-resistant, however have been discovered to trigger a variety of well being issues.
Known as “endlessly chemical compounds,” the harmful substances have made their means into consuming water and the meals chain by soil and groundwater, and have now been discovered nearly in all places on the planet, from the height of Mount Everest to the human physique.
Persistent PFAS publicity, even at low ranges, has been related to excessive ldl cholesterol, lowered immune responses, liver harm and several other kinds of most cancers.
Non-stick saucepans have been to be banned within the unique draft of France’s new regulation, however intense lobbying by the proprietor of French producer Tefal led to their elimination, reported AFP.
The regulation would require French authorities to conduct common testing of consuming water for PFAS.
A January 2025 examine discovered that one kind of PFAS related to start defects and well being issues had been found within the consuming water of many cities and cities in France, together with Paris.
Starting subsequent 12 months, new European Union rules would require member states to check their consuming water for 20 kinds of PFAS. The EU has been contemplating a possible ban on PFAS use in client merchandise, however to this point no regulation has been carried out.
“This ban on PFAS in merchandise like clothes and cosmetics is nice information for French residents anxious about their publicity to those dangerous chemical compounds. The not so excellent news is that some key merchandise like cookware have been exempted. Now France must get firmly behind an EU extensive restriction on PFAS guaranteeing extra merchandise are included and residents of all member states are protected,” mentioned Sandra Bell, coverage and advocacy advisor at nonprofit CHEM Belief.
Subscribe to get unique updates in our each day e-newsletter!
By signing up, you comply with the Phrases of Use and Privateness Coverage & to obtain digital communications from EcoWatch Media Group, which can embrace advertising promotions, commercials and sponsored content material.
