PFAS are a large group of highly fluorinated, synthetically produced substances that are very difficult to degrade and therefore long-lived in the environment. PFAS are therefore sometimes called eternal chemicals and these are found in a number of products and have become the subject of intense debate in Sweden. Among other things, after contaminating drinking water via fire protection foam in Blekinge, but also after recently discovered contaminants in the fishing waters in Boden. And most recently in the review of the cosmetics industry that Aftonbladet highlighted.

PFAS are primarily used for their water-repellent properties, in products such as fire-fighting foam, water-repellent clothing and frying pans. Unfortunately, PFAS are also used in cosmetic products to make them last longer and improve their water resistance. They can be found in waterproof mascara and foundation, but also in a range of other products such as face creams, face masks, eyeliners, hair oil, shaving foam, powders, serums and eyeshadows. But the benefits come with a hidden cost.

PFAS can disrupt the body's hormone system, which can lead to various health problems. Exposure to PFAS has been shown to affect thyroid function, our reproduction and increase the risk of certain cancers. These effects can occur even at low levels of exposure, which is common with daily use of cosmetics.

The environmental impact of PFAS is equally serious. These long-lasting chemicals do not break down naturally and therefore accumulate in water, soil and living organisms. This accumulation can have widespread effects on ecosystems and affect human health through contaminated water and food for a very long time.

In December 2023, the municipal water company in Ronneby was finally ordered by the Supreme Court, after a long legal process, to pay damages to victims who had ingested PFAS via the drinking water in the municipality. A relevant question is what responsibility do the companies that currently and previously used PFAS in their products have, despite the knowledge that these substances are hazardous to health?

As early as the 1960s, animal studies conducted by 3M and DuPont showed that PFAS chemicals posed health risks. By the mid-1970s, 3M knew that PFAS were accumulating in the blood of Americans. In the 1980s, both 3M and DuPont linked PFAS to cancer and found elevated cancer rates among their own workers.

Now, the European industry body Cosmetics Europe (CE), and also the Swedish KoHF (Cosmetics and Hygiene Companies' Industry Association), have recommended that manufacturers of cosmetic products should phase out and not market cosmetic products that contain intentionally added PFAS by December 31, 2025 at the latest (1).

But they are still present in many products. In the review that Aftonbladet did in November 2023, it is written that the most products with PFAS in the list of ingredients were found by the researchers in products from the French L'Oréal group. In an email response to the newspaper, they state that they stopped using PFAS in 2020, but despite this, there are still many products on sale where PFAS substances are listed among the ingredients.

The company also states that it is difficult to say how long these products will remain on the market for sale. This is another aspect and downside of the traditional skincare industry that we want to highlight where large volumes can be produced as the shelf life of the products is often several years. Read the article in Aftonbladet here.