"Essential" Uses Of PFAS Under Scrutiny

Chamber of Commerce analysis evaluates potential fiscal impacts of PFAS bans and restrictions for seven industries

The U.S. Chamber of Commerce recently issued a report titled "Essential Chemistries Providing Benefits Across the U.S. Economy," identifying "essential" uses of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in seven industries and the potential impact of the loss of these essential fluorochemistries on those industries and the national economy. Their analysis estimates the fiscal impact of PFAS bans and other restrictions in terms of lost labor income, employment, gross domestic product, and economic output.

This report was issued in response to public policies being considered both in the U.S. and abroad that would threaten the use of PFAS and follows the European Chemicals Agency's 2023 report evaluating the use, criticality, and replaceability of PFAS compounds in a wide variety of applications. Prior reports, however, do not analyze the impact of