10 Everyday Items with PFAs & Green Alternatives

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Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl chemicals, otherwise known as PFAs, first found their way into our homes in the late 1940s after a scientist at DuPont happened upon a slick, heat-resistant substance that came to be marketed under the name Teflon.

It’s Teflon that gives your pots and pans that non-stick quality that takes the pain out of frying, and the frictionless effect PFAs produce has since found scores of other uses around the home.

This means that today PFAs can be found in everything from dental floss and disposable plates to sofa upholstery and walking boots.

The jury is still out on just how harmful these long-lasting chemicals are to human health.

What we do know is that the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) recently designated PFOA (Teflon) ‘carcinogenic to humans’ and PFOS as ‘possibly carcinogenic to humans’.

The good news is that both PFOA and PFOS have (largely) been banned in the UK.

However, other, less toxic, forever chemicals are still used in consumer products and domestic goods.

What are PFAs?

PFAs are a class of thousands of man-made chemicals that contain multiple fluorine atoms bonded to a carbon atom chain.

Carbon-fluorine bonds are some of the strongest in organic chemistry, meaning once they have been produced, they tend to remain bonded for decades and sometimes centuries.

The fact that the bonds are not easily broken also means they stick around, giving rise to their nickname – forever chemicals.

At the same time, PFAs are great at affording the substances they are treated with water, oil, and heat-resistant properties, which is why today they’re applied to clothes, cosmetics and cookware.

Common chemicals to watch out for

PTFE (Polytetrafluoroethylene): Found in Teflon-coated pots and pans, it’s used for its non-stick properties in cookware and other applications.
Perfluorononyl dimethicone: Used in cosmetics to make them spread better.
Fluoropolymers: Often found in textiles and fabrics (like rain jackets, upholstery, and umbrellas) for their stain- and water-resistant properties.
Fluorinated surfactants: Used in lots of domestic products and outdoor gear to provide water, oil, and stain repellency. It’s a key component of Gore-Tex, a water-repelling technology, and therefore turns up in lots of rain jackets and walking/running shoes.

We have compiled a list (in no particular order) of 10 common home items that contain PFAs and some chemical-free alternatives to help you steer clear of chemicals that might harm you, your family and the environment.

1. Non-Stick Pans

The original acid used in Teflon, Perfluorooctanoic (PFOA), was outlawed in cookware in 2005 in the UK and largely replaced by GenX, a PFA that is considered safer.

As such, it should be borne in mind that new non-stick cookware items are now marketed as PFOA-free but still contain forever chemicals.

To be sure your cookware contains no chemical nasties that are going to stick around until the end of time, the safest option is to opt for pots and pans fashioned from ceramic, cast iron or enamel.

These eschew chemicals and give the cookware a slick surface and instead use the natural properties of the material from which they are fashioned to endow the pan with its non-stick properties.

GreenPan: Pioneers of Thermolon, a ceramic non-stick coating derived from sand that contains no PFAS. GreenPan manufactures its coatings in-house to ensure safety and quality. Its ceramic cookware has a natural non-stick surface made from silica. Buy here.
Caraway: Caraway cookware features a ceramic non-stick coating that is free of PTFE, PFOA, and PFAS. Their products are made with a mineral-based coating and are designed to be healthy and environmentally friendly. Buy here.
Cuisinart GreenGourmet: Cuisinart’s GreenGourmet line features cookware that uses a ceramic-based non-stick surface free of PFAS and other harmful chemicals, making it a healthier option for cooking. Buy here.

2. Grease-Resistant Paper Plates

Throw-away plates are perfect receptacles for barbecue and party food, but they are often coated with a PFA-laden substance to ensure the party treats don’t stick to the plate.

PFAS coatings also help prevent leaks and liquid accidents.

A good chemical-free alternative to PFA-coated plates are ones made from sugarcane bagasse, a waste substance that boasts a slippery, non-stick surface, or fibres

Bagasse is derived from the waste stalks of sugarcane and sorghum, so you’re also doing your bit to cut waste in the sugar industry by buying plates made from the stuff.

ASDA ECO Paper Plates (10 pk, 23cm) (£2.25): Sugarcane plates free from PFAs. Buy here.
HAAGO 100 Biodegradable Disposable Sugarcane Bagasse Plates (100 pk, 18cm) (£14.99): Perfect for parties, weddings, and BBQs, these plates are compostable and eco-friendly. Buy here.
Sainsbury’s Home Pack of 10 Ultra Strength Bagasse Plates (10 pk, 25cm). Buy here.

3. Furniture with Stain-Resistant Finishes

Soft furnishings such as sofas and armchairs are often treated with PFAs to make them water repellent and stain-resistant.

While PFA-treated fabrics are excellent at repelling spilt liquids because they cause it to bead up so it can be easily wiped clean, they are also packed with forever chemicals.

As a general rule, if you’re looking for PFA-free furniture and fabrics, opt for products upholstered in FibreGuard fabrics, a new technology that affords soft furnishings a protective, stain-resistant coating without the need for harsh chemicals.

Long Eaton Sofas: Long Eaton Sofas offers FibreGuard fabrics, which are both durable and easy to clean without being treated with PFAs or other chemicals. Buy here.
Peter Cook International: Another company that offers FibreGuard’s stain-resistant fabrics. The company’s Peak and Evoke fabric ranges are high-performance FibreGuard products exclusive to Peter Cook. Buy here.
New England Home Interiors: All the fabrics used here are either FibreGuard or Aquaclean, both of which are billed as PFA-free. Buy here.

4. Walking Shoe and Boot Protector Sprays

Hikers, walkers and outdoor types know that keeping shoes and boots waterproof is a must.

Sadly, the best barriers to water often contain PFAs.

The good news is that there are sprays out there that are entirely PFA-free and give your footwear the same level of water-resistance as a PFA-based shoe protector.

Stormcare Footwear Protector 150 ml (£11): Uses dendrimer technology, which uses modified silica particles to create a water-repellent barrier for footwear. Buy here.
Footwear Protector Flight by DFNS 100 ml (£9.99): Water-based, PFAS-free, breathable, quick-drying, and safe for indoor use. Free from harmful propellants and made with 95% recycled aluminium packaging. Buy here.
Jason Markk Repel Spray 159 ml (£18.00): Water-based, PFAS-free, breathable, quick-drying, and safe for indoor use. Free from all harmful chemicals and propellants. Buy here.

5. Furniture Polish

Furniture and floor polishes often don’t explicitly mention that they contain PFAs, so it can be tricky to know if they contain harmful chemicals.

As a rule of thumb, if a polish’s packaging boasts of its stain-resistance, water-repellence, or promises to give your furniture a protective coating, you can be sure it comes with forever chemicals.

Look closely and you might even find fluoropolymers or fluorinated compounds listed on the ingredients, a sure sign the product contains forever chemicals.

Furniture Clinic Clear Beeswax Polish for Wood & Furniture 200 ml (£9.99): Clear and coloured beeswax polishes designed to feed and protect bare wood, and to protect all other wooden surfaces. Buy here.
Furniture Tincture 47 5ml (£18.99): Suitable for all wood types, Tincture’s polish is made from 100% natural ingredients. Buy here.
Biod Furniture polish 150g (£8.81): Uses solely plant-based wax and natural oils and can be used on natural wood around the home, from furniture to bannisters. Buy here.

6. Dental Floss

Given that PFAs are added to products to reduce friction, it’s no surprise they have found their way into dental floss, helping reduce the friction of the fibres as they pass between the teeth.

Some of these chemicals are ingested during flossing, so if you want to avoid your exposure to PFAs, an organic floss is a must.

Look out for floss whose packaging boasts of ‘glide ability’, as this is generally a sign that the product comes with a PFA-infused coating.

Waken Peppermint Dental Floss 30m (£3.50): Eco-friendly, vegan dental floss infused with natural peppermint and made from 100% recycled plastic bottles, this floss is coated with natural vegetable wax and xylitol. Buy here.
TePe Dental Floss 40m (£3.50): A dental floss treated with a mix of vegetable oils and avocado to allow it to slide between the teeth. Buy here.
Dental Aesthetics Silk Eco Dental Floss 50m (£3.99): A 100% plastic-free dental floss made from natural silk. Coated in mint-infused candelilla wax, the floss will slide between your teeth just as well as any traditional floss. Buy here.

7. Umbrellas

Yes, even the humble umbrella is a source of those nasty PFAs.

The waterproofing on them is often laden with forever chemicals, which allows them to repel rainwater and cause it to bead up so it slides nicely off the canvas during a downpour.

If you find an umbrella that is described as having a ‘water-repellent’ coating, it’s more than likely that it has been treated with PFAs.

With this in mind, when shopping for a new rainblocker, look for ones that come with certifications such as OEKO-TEX and bluesign.

Original Duckhead Compact Umbrella: Materials: rPET canopy from recycled plastic bottles. Buy here.
Doppler Nature Mini Sustainable Umbrella: Canopy made of recycled PET; FSC-certified wood handle. Buy here.
Knirps Vision Eco Automatic Folding Umbrella: Recycled PET fabric. Buy here.

8. Waterproof Mascara

Eye mascara has been traditionally pitched to women as ‘waterproof’ or ‘long-lasting’.

Unfortunately, the waterproofing comes from the fact that the liquid has been treated with some type of PFA to ensure it doesn’t smudge and smear when it comes into contact with sweat and tears.

The good news is that there is an abundance of PFA-free mascara on the market nowadays.

However, while some of these brands might explicitly mention they are free from PFAs on the packaging, others simply say they stick to a ‘clean beauty’ or ‘natural’ credo in sourcing their products.

So, look out for these keywords when shopping for PFA-free makeup.

ILIA Limitless Lash Mascara 8g (£28): An award-winning clean mascara that lifts, lengthens, and separates lashes without clumping. Formulated with nourishing ingredients like beeswax and shea butter. Buy here.
RMS Beauty Straight Up Volumising Peptide Mascara 5ml (£15): A peptide-infused mascara that volumises and strengthens lashes. Features a tri-locking system to prevent smudging and flaking. Buy here.
Tower 28 MakeWaves Mascara 8.5ml (£8.87): A vegan and cruelty-free mascara designed for sensitive eyes. Provides volume and length without clumping or flaking. Buy here.

9. Lipstick

A US-based study published in 2021 tested 231 popular makeup products and found that over half contained high levels of fluorine, indicating the probable presence of PFAS.

Lipstick was a major culprit, with 62% of liquid lipsticks testing positive for some type of PFA.

Again, like eye mascara, many lipsticks don’t explicitly mention they contain PFAs on their packaging, so it might be tricky to avoid them if you aren’t paying attention.

However, as we mentioned earlier, PFAs contain a carbon-fluorine bond, so lipstick ingredients often feature chemicals with names such as fluoro, fluoropolymer, or perfluoro.

Benecos Natural Matte Liquid Lipstick 5ml (£6.95): An on-trend lippy infused with nourishing castor oil and jojoba oil, which help keep your lips soft, plump and supple. Vegan, vegetarian, natural, and not tested on animals. Buy here.
ILIA Balmy Gloss Tinted Lip Oil 4.3ml (£26): ILIA lip products pack some serious punch when it comes to pigmentation, so your lips will sparkle all day long. They use non-harsh chemicals and lots of natural ingredients. Buy here.
Lisa Eldridge ‘184 – Romy’ Rouge Experience Refillable Lipstick 3.5g (£49): A PFA-free, refillable lipstick that’s not just chemical-free but refillable, so you save on waste materials. The lippy comes in a range of colours, all the way from eye-popping pink to earthy rose tones. A 15% discount is offered on refills. Buy here.

10. Gore-Tex Rain Jackets

Gore-Tex is a fantastic innovation and great at keeping you dry and warm.

Sadly, it’s a technology that achieves its water-repelling property by being impregnated with PFAs.

The good news is that the technology has moved with the times – it has recently developed a PFA-free version, which features an ePE (expanded polyethylene) membrane that works as well as traditional Gore-Tex at keeping water out.

If you want a Gore-Tex jacket but want to avoid forever chemicals, look for jackets that specifically mention they come with an ePE membrane, a new type of Gore-Tex technology that is just as good as the original but one that doesn’t use PFAs to achieve its waterproofing.

Nanda Devi Men’s Jacket (£270): A waterproof, windproof, and breathable jacket made with GORE-TEX ePE 2-layer fabric. It is designed for year-round trekking and hiking, offering durability, comfort, and packability. Buy here.
Arc’teryx Women’s Beta Jacket (£350): Available in a range of pastel colours, this waterproof jacket is made from PFC-free GORE-TEX ePE fabric. Arc’teryx plans to use exclusively non-PFA-treated materials in all its jackets by the end of 2025. Buy here.
Men’s Levity Gore-Tex Jacket Product Page (£96.97 | Retail: £200.00): Lightweight, waterproof, windproof, and breathable. Made with 75d GORE-TEX® PACLITE and PFC-free DWR coating for sustainability. Fully seam-taped and adjustable features (hood, cuffs, hem) and packable with two mesh-lined pockets. Buy here.

Clipping the Wings of Peter Pan Chemicals

The original Peter Pan chemical, PFOA, the PFA that gave us Teflon, is now banned in many countries and regions, including the UK and the EU.

However, many products today labelled as ‘PFOA-free’ still contain other, related PFAS that may still pose health or environmental risks.

While these PFAs tend not to be as toxic as the original forever chemical, they are still not great for the environment or human health.

Forever is a long time, but you can make a few changes now that mean forever chemicals will soon be a thing of the past.

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Manuela WillboldOnline Media & PR Strategist

Blogger and Educator by Passion | Senior Online Media & PR Strategist at ClickDo Ltd. | Fascinated to Write Lifestyle Blogs in News & Education I have completed a journalism summer course at the London School of Journalism and manage various blogs.