Per- and Polyfluorinated Substances (PFAS)

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substance(s) (PFAS) are a group of chemicals used to manufacture a wide variety of products with non-stick or moisture- and stain-resistant surfaces, such as certain paper products, water-resistant clothing, and cookware.  They are also used in some cleaning products, paints, and firefighting foams.  Regulatory and research interest in PFAS as environmental contaminants has accelerated in recent years.  Perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and perfluorooctanesulfonic acid (PFOS) (eight-carbon, perfluorinated compounds), which were the most extensively produced and studied of these chemicals, are no longer manufactured in the US, but concerns remain about both the persistent presence of these chemicals in the environment and the relative lack of published information on the health and environmental profiles of fluorinated chemicals now manufactured as replacements.

NCASI expertise and related documents serve as an information reference for pulp and paper producers.