France adopts PFAS restriction – ClientEarth urges EU and other countries to follow suit  

French lawmakers have today approved a bill designed to restrict PFAS – also known as “forever chemicals” because of their capacity to build up in the environment and in people’s bodies.   

Reacting to the news, ClientEarth legal expert Hélène Duguy said: “This law has undeniable shortcomings. For instance, it only bans the use of a limited number of consumer items and doesn't even touch industrial uses – when we know that PFAS are widely used in various sectors such as automotive and electronics. Nonetheless, France is one of the first countries to act on what is both a public health and an environmental crisis and it should be applauded.  

“PFAS pollution has reached a critical point and common-sense restrictions are overdue. The weight of scientific evidence on the harms of PFAS is now overwhelming. Alternatives exist and it’s imperative for top officials in Brussels and other countries to stop kicking the can down the road. We need sweeping restrictions on PFAS for consumer and industrial uses now.” 

According to the new law in France, starting in 2026, the manufacture, import and sale of products containing PFAS will be prohibited in three categories of consumer goods: cosmetics, clothing textiles (with the exception of protective clothing for security and civil protection professionals) and ski waxes. By 2030, the ban will extend to all textiles. 

The process to adopt an EU-wide PFAS restriction is ongoing. A proposal from the European Commission is not expected until 2027.