Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) - statistics & facts

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), often referred to as “forever chemicals” due to their long-term resistance to degradation, constitute a controversial group of synthetic chemicals that have been widely produced by a variety of global chemical companies since the 1950s. As a result of their heat-, stain-, and water-resistant properties they have been utilized within non-stick cookware, waterproof clothing, firefighting foams, stain-resistant textiles, and many other items. However, despite this diverse range of applications, PFAS have been linked to significant adverse health impacts in both humans and animals. As such, the ubiquitous global use of PFAS chemicals, and their potential contamination within the environment and living organisms, poses a significant environmental and public health challenge.

Health effects of PFAS exposure

Although a comprehensive understanding of the negative health impacts associated with PFAS chemicals is still lacking, existing evidence suggests that exposure to these substances can increase the risk of kidney and testicular cancer, disrupt the endocrine and immune systems, and impact fetal and child development. Given these potentially significant health impacts, the high frequency of PFAS detection in humans presents a major cause for concern.

The remediation of PFAS-contaminated soil and water

In light of the adverse human health and environmental impacts of PFAS, urgent action by relevant stakeholders is required to prevent further exposure and harm. PFAS are persistent and bioaccumulative chemicals that have been widely detected within global samples of soil, water, air, food, and biota. International, national, regional, and local regulations and guidelines have been implemented to control the use and disposal of PFAS. Examples of such legislation includes the United States EPA’s drinking water health advisories for PFAS Chemicals, which serves as levels for exposure to PFAS chemicals in drinking water, and the Stockholm Convention, which has listed certain PFAS as persistent organic pollutants, requiring their elimination or reduction. The implementation of these regulations has increased the demand for effective treatment and disposal methods and as such the PFAS waste management market is expected to grow significantly in the coming years. Such remediation methods for PFAS can largely be classified into two main categories: sequestration and destruction. Sequestration methods aim to remove or immobilize PFAS from contaminated media, while destruction methods aim to break down or transform PFAS into less harmful compounds. Examples of sequestration methods include soil amendments, soil washing, thermal treatment, activated carbon, ion exchange, and membrane filtration. Destruction methods for PFAS-contaminated soil involve chemical oxidation, chemical reduction, and biological treatment, while destruction methods for water encompass advanced oxidation, electrochemical oxidation, and plasma treatment.
This text provides general information. Statista assumes no liability for the information given being complete or correct. Due to varying update cycles, statistics can display more up-to-date data than referenced in the text.
Published by Statista Research Department, Apr 12, 2024

Key insights

Downstream application of fluoropolymer sales with largest total value in Europe
Transportation
Total volume of fluoropolymer sales within the transportation sector
15.5k mt
Change in the value of fluoropolymer sales within renewable energy sector
300%
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Editor’s Picks Current statistics on this topic

Market value of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) waste management worldwide in 2022 and 2031 (in billion U.S. dollars)

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Total value of fluoropolymers sales in Europe in 2015 and 2020, by downstream applications (in million euros)

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Total quantity of fluoropolymers sales in Europe in 2015 and 2020, by downstream applications (in 1,000 metric tons)

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Quantity of selected per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) chemicals disposed of or released in the United States in 2021, by location (in pounds)

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Quantity of selected PFAS chemicals disposed of or released in the U.S. 2021

Drinking water systems with PFAS detections above the new EPA health advisories in the United States as of June 2022, by compound

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Drinking water systems with PFAS detections above new EPA levels in 2022, by compound

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Highest PFAS detections in surface waters in the U.S. 2022, by state

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Number of PFAS detected in surface water samples in the U.S. 2022, by compound

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Chemical Industry

PFAS research and development expenditure in the U.S. 2022, by area of research

Research and development expenditure on per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in the United States from 2019 to 2022, by federal agency (in million U.S. dollars)

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PFAS research and development expenditure in the U.S. 2019-2022, by federal agency

Detection frequency of selected per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) chemicals amongst adults in California in 2020

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Detection frequency of selected PFAS chemicals amongst California adults 2020

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