French lawmakers have adopted a bill to restrict the production and sale of non-essential products that contain PFAS, a group of synthetic "forever chemicals" that break down slowly and have been linked to cancer.
After a first reading, MPs in the National Assembly on Thursday unanimously approved a bill aimed at restricting the production, import, export and sale of some products containing per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, called PFAS.
MPs had been divided over the legislation, while industry groups were opposed – arguing that banning the chemicals would mean layoffs.
The legilsation was approved unanimoulsy after cookware was excluded from the text, marking a win for manufacturers.
Used in some non-stick and stain-resistant products, PFAS are sometimes called "forever chemicals", because they take a long time to break down and have been detected in water, air, fish and soil in the remotest corners of the globe.
Prime Minister Gabriel said the bill, introduced by Greens MP Nicolas Thierry, is unnecessary because the use of PFAS is an issue that should be addressed on a European level.
The European Union is considering a blanket ban, but Thierry said the timeframe was too long.
The French proposal bans by 2026 the use of PFAS in cosmetics,as well as most clothing, except for some safety gear. The entire textile industry would come under the ban by 2030.
The legislation would also set up monitoring of PFAS in water supplies across France, and would require companies to pay to clean up any spills or pollution.
Industrial pushback
Companies had lobbyied against the law, and some lawmakers have introduced amendments pushing back its implementation, for kitchen appliances for example, to 2030.
The French company SEB, which owns Tefal, the world’s largest cookware producer, warned the legislation would impact jobs. It encouraged dozens of employees to bang pots in and around the National Assembly in Pars on Wednesday to demand the bill's withdrawal.
The company says 3,000 jobs in its Rumilly and Tournus factories that produce Tefal non-stick pans would be under threat.
The best known PFAS is non-stick Teflon, which uses PFOA, which has been shown to be carcinogenic. Its American manufacturer, DuPont, has been the subject of thousands of lawsuits over water pollution and health impacts.
When it bought the Tefal brand in 1968, Seb decided to create its own non-stick coating that does not use PFOA but polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE), another PFAS that the company says is not dangerous.
MPs urged to step up
In response to the protests, Thierry told the AFP news agency that the legislation is intended to protect the very employees sounding the alarm.
He added that the companies were trying to distract from the real danger by talking about employment.
“We must face up to a large scale health scandal, maybe the largest massive pollution in history,” Thierry said. “We must show up and step up to it.”
The bill must now be debated in the Senate before it can become law.
(with AFP)
