Complete elimination of PFAS not in sight

In Europe, a spectre is haunting all industrial sectors: The complete ban of PFAS. Where possible, some companies have reacted with foresight and developed alternatives. In the electronics industry, there are already ways to at least partially dispense with the controversial substances.

If PFAS enter the environment, they remain there and accumulate. Some PFAS also find their way into organisms and through the food chain into the human body. Neither air, water, sunlight nor bacteria can harm these molecules. They are distributed worldwide and have even been found in the polar regions. In industry, however, PFAS have already opened up a whole range of applications. The reaction of the associations was correspondingly clear when the Federal Environment Agency and others proposed the restriction of PFAS to the European Chemicals Agency ECHA.

PFAS are well established in the electronics industry. This applies to both surface technology and other applications. On printed circuit boards, they protect against heat, moisture and dust. In electronic devices such as smartphones or tablets, fluoropolymers such as PVDF (polyvinylidene fluoride) are added to surfaces, which can then be repaired using radiation curing. The first companies are now offering other coating materials without halogens and PFAS. It is also possible to switch to other processes for applying hydrophobic coatings. Materials for this are, for example, epoxy resin, urethane, acrylic, silicone or parylene. Some manufacturers are working with their suppliers to develop alternatives and ensure that the new substances fulfil all relevant requirements