A review of the new chemical sphere warns that the pulp, paper and textile industries are major PFA contaminants, pose serious challenges and highlight the urgent need for innovation beyond PFAS reliance.
Monophase and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAs) are widely known as “eternal chemicals.” Their unique resistance to heat, oil and water has made them a mainstay in packaging, textiles and countless consumer products. However, these same properties (celebrated for their usefulness) now support a global crisis. PFA does not easily collapse and is bioaccumulated in organisms and is increasingly linked to serious health effects such as cancer, developmental problems and destruction of the immune system.
A new review of the chemical sphere highlights the scale of the challenge focused on the pulp, paper and textile industries. These sectors contribute significantly to PFA contamination. Both contribute directly and indirectly through wastewater discharge through final products containing PFA that lasts to landfills and recycle streams. This review warns that while the benefits of PFA’s performance have been innovating for a long time, the future will be shaped by how quickly the industry will move.
Increase in financial burden
PFA’s economics is calm. Wastewater treatment costs in the US alone are projected to exceed US$3 billion per year as utilities seek to manage pollution. Medical expenses related to PFA-related diseases exceed US$62 billion per year, covering conditions ranging from metabolic disorders to cancer. Trying a comprehensive repair is virtually out of reach. Researchers estimate that global removal of PFA pollution would be higher than the global US$106 trillion GDP.
Already, litigation shows financial risk. In one notable case, the paper mill agreed to pay US$11.9 million to settle PFA pollution claims back over a decade. Similar lawsuits have been growing, with industries across the supply chain, from chemical manufacturers to consumer goods companies, being held responsible for pollution.
For pulp, paper and textiles, the financial impact exceeds settlements. Products containing PFA are at an increasing risk of losing sustainability certification and reducing access to the premium market. In some cases, sales growth has already declined by 70% when the ecolabel is cancelled.
Policy momentum: From local bans to global action
The US has introduced enforceable restrictions on PFA in drinking water, but federal government actions remain limited, covering only six individual compounds. This limited range means thousands of PFAs are unregulated. In response, dozens of US states have taken the issue into their own hands and introduced bans in PFAs for food packaging, textiles and personal care products. For example, Minnesota and Maine are moving to broader restrictions across almost all consumer goods where PFA is deemed unrequited.
Globally, the European Union is pushing for a class-based regulatory strategy that can ban around 10,000 PFAs, far beyond the US approach. Canada and Japan also adopt a broader framework, but the Stockholm Convention continues to expand international restrictions. This difference in regulatory ambitions creates both challenges and opportunities for businesses operating internationally. Those in line with a more stringent framework are better positioned to maintain compliance, protect market access and predict future changes.
Beyond Compliance: Why Prevention is Strategic
For the industry, the PFAS challenge is not just a matter of compliance, it is a test of resilience and foresight. In the pulp and paper industry, PFA is widely used as a grease proof agent in food packaging. Textiles provide dyeing resistance, water repellency and durability. However, there are already viable alternatives, from bio-based coatings for packaging to highly durable water repellents for fabrics.
In the case of transitions, it is economical rather than ethical or environmental. Prevention avoids the spiral costs of remediation and litigation, ensures access to sustainability-driven markets, and protects reputational capital in an age of growing consumer scrutiny. Importantly, the loss of environmental certification has been converted to billions of lost revenues from companies that are already slow to adapt. Conversely, companies that invest early in safer alternatives are more likely to gain new market opportunities and remain competitive in the long term.
Historical Lessons: Precedents of Dioxins
The pulp and paper industry has faced similar calculations before. In the 1980s, dioxin, an intended by-product of chlorine bleaching, was discovered in mill drainage and downstream fish populations. Although little understood at first, their carcinogenicity and persistence led to drastic regulatory reforms. Within a decade, businesses were forced to move to a chlorine-free bleaching process, bringing an estimated annual compliance cost of USD 260 million. The result was a dramatic reduction in dioxin release and a recovery of public trust.
The lesson is clear. Once the risk of persistent contaminants is established, regulations and litigation continues quickly, often with the cost of aggressive adaptation. The PFA is currently standing at the same inflection point.
Global interests
PFA results exceed the company’s balance sheet. A recent study reveals PFA contamination in drinking water supplies that serve nearly 200 million Americans. They are present in the blood of soil, crops, freshwater fish, and even the majority of global populations. International organizations for cancer research have recently classified PFOA as carcinogenic and carcinogenic in humans and PFOs, adding urgency to regulatory promotion.
Therefore, addressing PFA is not only about mitigating economic risks for businesses, but also about protecting ecosystems and public health across generations. The choices made by today’s pulp, paper and textile industries will have results over the next few decades.
Leadership moment
PFAS Crisis presents an industry with two paths. One is to force changes to wait for regulations, litigation and consumer backlash. This is an approach that risks escalating costs and eroding trust. The other is to lead the transition by phased out PFA, investing in innovation, and working with policymakers and stakeholders to build a safer and more sustainable future.
Prevention is always cheaper and more effective than repair. Businesses that are aware of this now will not only help reduce risk, but also help shape new standards of corporate responsibility.
PFAs may be “eternal chemicals,” but their role in industry doesn’t have to be permanent. The opportunity and obligation to end their legacy is in the hands of today’s leaders.
Source link
