Manufacturers Face Mounting PFAS Risk as Data Shows Chemicals Embedded Across Supply Chains

The scale of PFAS exposure in global supply chains is deeper than many manufacturers realize. New analysis from Assent Inc. has identified 695 unique PFAS in supplier declarations, a 30% jump in just six months. The findings highlight how “forever chemicals” are not only widespread but also increasingly traceable, raising pressure on companies to identify and replace them before new bans, lawsuits, and part obsolescence hit.

From over 4.5 million supplier declarations, Assent found:

• 3% of analyzed parts contained at least one intentionally added PFAS.

• More than 80% of clients detected PFAS somewhere in their supply chains.

• PTFE (Polytetrafluoroethylene), prized for its non-stick properties, appears in more than half of positive declarations.

• 82% of companies reporting PFAS presence found multiple PFAS in the same supply chain, compounding compliance and replacement risks.

  
  

“The business consequences of using PFAS, whether in the past or present, are unprecedented in terms of chemical regulations. In 30 years of compliance, I’ve never seen anything as impactful,” said Cally Edgren, Vice President of Regulatory & Sustainability at Assent. “It’s past the critical time for manufacturers to understand why and where they are using PFAS, so they can seek alternative parts, redesign products, engage with regulators for exceptions, and manage litigation and liability risk.”

Cally Edgren, VP of Regulatory & Sustainability at Assent

The regulatory climate is tightening quickly. The EU and U.S. states including California, New York, Colorado, and Maine are moving to ban PFAS in consumer goods. Litigation tied to PFAS use has already resulted in settlements exceeding $11 billion, while insurers are reassessing coverage for companies exposed to liability.

As Nathan Goldstein, Senior Manager at Verdantix, notes: “Global restrictions of PFAS, or ‘Forever Chemicals,’ continue to ramp up, and with due cause given their impact on human health. As the body of research grows, it is projected that regulations will continue to limit, and even prohibit their use and discharge. Solutions that enable the tracking, reporting, and identification of replacement substances will increase in desirability.”

For manufacturers, the message is clear: PFAS risks are not a future problem but a current one. With hundreds of thousands of supplier declarations already confirming intentional use, companies must map exposure now, or risk costly redesigns, compliance failures, and lost market access later.

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