Greenpeace criticises industry’s move towards short-chained PFCs
08/01/2014
It said: “From the 15 jackets and two pairs of gloves tested, all samples except one were found to contain concentrations of both perfluorinated and polyfluorinated chemicals (PFCs). The one exception was a PFC-free declared jacket which was contaminated with perfluorinated chemicals (ionic PFCs). The investigation also found that these hazardous chemicals are released into the air from the items of clothing.”
When it published its first report in 2012, ‘naming and shaming’ outdoor brands, there was mixed reaction. Some companies vowed to eliminated PFCs altogether, some said they were already in the process of moving to shorter chained PFCs and others said they could see no evidence that short-chain PFCs were harmful and there was nothing on the market that offers the same performance. Companies to react to the report, to clarify their positions, included Patagonia, Marmot, Mammut, Vaude, Kaikialla, and Jack Wolfskin.
PFCs were widely debated in the outdoor industry in 2013, and many will not agree with Greenpeace’s stance.
Greenpeace acknowledged the move to short-chained chemistry but said: “Both ionic and volatile PFCs range from long-chained to short-chained compounds. PFHxA and other shorter-chained alternatives are as persistent in the environment as the long-chained PFCs,” citing a report by ‘Wang, 2013’.
“Compared to the previous report1, more short chain PFC compounds were detected, in particular 6:2 FTOH and PFHxA (perfuorohexanoic acid). Outdoor clothing brands are apparently using 6:2 FTOH as an alternative for the longer chain compound 8:2 FTOH.
“However, Greenpeace does not consider short chain PFCs as an appropriate substitute. The test chamber analyses show that these shorter chain compounds are more likely to evaporate from clothing. Since they are less effective as water repellents, they are apparently being used in greater quantities. Once they have been emitted, these volatile compounds can disperse rapidly into the air. In the environment they can be transformed into shorter chain ionic PFCs (perfluorocarbonic acids). These compounds do not degrade in the environment and can easily seep into groundwater and drinking water. They cannot be filtered out, even with the most advanced technology. The increased production and use of these highly mobile chemicals, a trend which is apparent in the findings of this report, will considerably accelerate the pollution of the environment with PFCs in the future.”
The textile industry is committed to eliminating PFOA from its global supply chain, and the task is close to completion, but the undertaking is not scheduled for completion until 2015. PFOA is not an ingredient that manufacturers deliberately add in the making of their water- and oil-repellency products, but a substance that appears in small quantities as a by-product of the synthesis that takes place in the making of C8 chemicals, the traditional method of making the products but one that is being replaced. Many new ideas are based on C6 chemistry, which are still part of the PFC family.
An in-depth feature on the current state of durable water repellents can be read in the November/December issue of WSA.
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