PFAS Forever Chemicals: What You Need to Know and Where to Start

Loading image...

Understanding PFAS forever chemicals and where they hide in daily life

I've known about Teflon and its concerns for over a decade, but it's only in recent years that we started calling these chemicals by their collective name: PFAS. These synthetic chemicals have been accumulating in our bodies for decades, present in far more than just non-stick cookware.

Here's what you need to know: almost every person in Australia has detectable levels of PFAS in their blood. Understanding what they are and making a few strategic changes can significantly reduce your family's exposure. You don't need to overhaul everything overnight or spend a fortune on specialty products. You just need to know what to prioritize.

What Are PFAS and Why "Forever"?

PFAS stands for per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances—a group of over 10,000 synthetic chemicals used since the 1940s to make things non-stick, waterproof, and stain-resistant. You might recognize PFAS by their most famous brand name: Teflon. Developed by DuPont in 1938, this non-stick coating became a household staple in kitchens worldwide in the 1960s.

They're called "forever chemicals" because they don't break down. Not in the environment, and not in your body. The carbon-fluorine bond in PFAS molecules is one of the strongest chemical bonds in nature. While most chemicals eventually degrade through natural processes like sunlight and bacteria, PFAS remain stable for years, accumulating in soil, water, and living organisms. Once they're in your body, they stay there, building up with each new exposure.

This persistence made them useful for manufacturing—products could be made non-stick, waterproof, and stain-resistant. But that same quality makes them concerning for health. Your body can't process and eliminate them the way it does other chemicals.

Why PFAS Matter for Your Health

The research on PFAS health effects continues to grow, and what we're learning is concerning. Studies have linked PFAS exposure to:

• Impaired immune function and increased susceptibility to infections
• Low birth weight and developmental delays in children
• Increased risk of certain cancers (kidney, testicular, prostate)
• Liver and kidney damage
• Thyroid problems
• Increased cholesterol
• Reduced fertility

What's particularly worrying is that we don't fully understand the long-term consequences of lifelong exposure to the combination of PFAS we encounter daily. These chemicals have only been heavily studied in recent decades.

Where PFAS Are Hiding in Your Home

Here's what surprised me most when I started learning about PFAS: they're not in some distant industrial site—they're in products most of us use every single day.

In your kitchen: Non-stick cookware, takeaway containers, pizza boxes, microwave popcorn bags, food wrappers. Research found PFAS in 1 out of 3 food packaging samples tested in Australia.

In your bathroom: Waterproof mascara, long-wear lipstick, dental floss (particularly smooth-glide varieties like Oral-B Glide), water-resistant sunscreen, certain shampoos.

In your medicine cabinet: 65% of bandages tested positive for PFAS—including major brands like Band-Aid and Elastoplast. This is particularly concerning because bandages go on open wounds.

For women: 48% of sanitary pads, 22% of tampons, and 65% of period underwear contain PFAS. Even products labeled "organic" or "natural" have tested positive. This matters because vaginal tissue is highly absorbent and these products are used for days at a time, monthly, for decades.

In your wardrobe: Waterproof jackets, stain-resistant clothing, water-resistant shoes, athletic wear marketed as "moisture-wicking."

Around your home: Stain-resistant carpets and furniture, some paints and sealants, treated bedding and mattress protectors.

The Label Problem: Why You Can't See Them

Here's one of the most frustrating aspects: unlike food additives, there's NO requirement for companies to disclose PFAS on most product labels.

Your cookware, clothing, furniture, food packaging, and outdoor gear won't tell you they contain PFAS anywhere on the packaging. Companies can legally keep this information from you because PFAS are often classified as "processing aids" or "proprietary coatings" rather than ingredients requiring disclosure.

The only way to know for certain? Contact the company directly and ask specifically whether their product contains PFAS, PFOA, PFOS, or PFCs. Request third-party testing results if they claim to be PFAS-free.

Australia's 2025 Ban: Progress, But Not Complete

The good news is that authorities took action. As of July 1, 2025, Australia banned the manufacture, import, export, and use of PFOS, PFOA, PFHxS, and related substances. This ban applies to many products, especially packaging and household items.

The NHMRC also set new drinking water guidelines in June 2025, and testing shows public water supplies meet these standards. The health risks from PFAS in drinking water is low for most people.

However, the ban only covers a handful of the thousands of PFAS chemicals in use. Currently, no regulatory limits exist for PFAS in food, which means consumer awareness and choice remain critical.

Where to Start: Practical Priority List

You don't need to replace everything at once. Based on what I've learned, here's where your efforts make the most difference:

Priority 1: Cookware
Replace scratched non-stick pans with stainless steel, cast iron, or carbon steel. Solidteknics makes Australian-made lifetime cookware, Scanpan are a great stainless steel option, or grab affordable stainless steel from Kmart or Target.

Priority 2: Intimate Contact Products
Switch period products to TOM Organic or Cottons (both available at Woolworths). Replace dental floss with PFAS-free brands like Dr. Tung's Smart Floss or Humble Co. Switch bandages to PATCH Bamboo Bandages. These products contact highly absorbent tissues—worth prioritizing.

Priority 3: Food Packaging
Transfer takeaway food to glass or ceramic containers at home. Skip microwave popcorn and make it on the stovetop. Choose fresh foods over heavily packaged options. Start collecting glass storage containers when they're on special at Big W, Woolworths, or Coles.

Priority 3b: Food Packaging – Baking Papers & Cases
Swap regular muffin cases and baking papers for options that state 'no fluorochemicals' or 'PFAS-free' on the pack (like Dollar Sweets unbleached muffin wraps).

If you use silicone muffin cups, choose platinum-cured or LFGB-certified only, as some recent studies found cheaper silicone can leach siloxanes during baking. If you don't feel comfortable baking with silicone, stick with glass, ceramic, or steel tins, greased naturally.

Priority 4: Water Filtration
While tap water meets safety standards, a quality PFAS-certified filter provides extra peace of mind. Available at Bunnings, Harvey Norman, or online.

Priority 5: Personal Care Products
Check your cosmetics for "fluoro" ingredients. Replace waterproof mascara with regular formulas. L'Oréal (available at Priceline and Chemist Warehouse) committed to 100% PFAS-free formulas by end of 2024.

As Items Wear Out:
Replace stain-resistant carpets, furniture, and clothing with untreated natural fibers. When buying outdoor gear, ask retailers specifically about PFAS-free options—brands like Kathmandu and Macpac are transitioning away from PFAS.

PFAS-Free Brands Available Locally

You don't need to search for obscure specialty brands. Many PFAS-free options are available at regular retailers:

Cookware: Solidteknics (Australian-made), cast iron and stainless steel from Harvey Norman, Kmart, Target, Big W

Period products: TOM Organic, Cottons, Tsuno (all available at major retailers or pharmacies)

Dental care: Dr. Tung's Smart Floss, Humble Co., Tom's of Maine, The Natural Family Co.

Bandages: PATCH Bamboo Bandages, Welly, 3M Micropore tape

Food storage: Glass containers from Big W, Woolworths, Coles; Glasslock, Sistema, Pyrex

Food Packaging Baking Papers & Cases: Dollar Sweets unbleached muffin wraps from Woolworths, Coles, IGA, BIG W

Cosmetics: L'Oréal (PFAS-free), natural beauty brands at Priceline, Nourished Life, Flora & Fauna

Cleaning: Simple vinegar and bicarb solutions, Ecostore (widely available)

What You Don't Need to Do

You don't need to throw out your entire wardrobe, replace all your furniture immediately, or panic about every product. PFAS are everywhere, but gradual, strategic swaps make a real difference without creating financial strain or overwhelm.

Focus on items that contact your food, go on your skin or in your mouth, or are used frequently. A scratched non-stick pan matters more than your rain jacket. Period products used monthly for decades matter more than your lounge.

Moving Forward

After being aware of PFAS for many years, here's what I've learned: strategic swaps matter more than trying to do everything at once.

Start with one thing. Maybe it's switching to stainless steel cookware, or buying TOM Organic tampons next time you shop at Woolworths, or replacing your dental floss with Dr. Tung's from your local health food store. Then move to the next thing.

The fact that Australia implemented bans as of July 2025 shows this issue is being taken seriously. As consumers, we complement these efforts by making informed choices. Every PFAS-free swap reduces your body burden over time. Every purchase of PFAS-free products pushes companies to develop safer alternatives.

Since you can't rely on labels to tell you what contains PFAS, your best tools are awareness, strategic shopping, and contacting companies directly when you need answers. This comprehensive guide gives you the information to start making changes that protect your family's health—one practical step at a time.

Which area feels most manageable to tackle first?

References

1. FSANZ. (2025). "Perfluorinated compounds guidance." Food Standards Australia New Zealand.

2. NHMRC. (2025). "Updated Drinking Water Guidelines for PFAS." National Health and Medical Research Council.

3. Clayton Utz. (2025). "PFAS ban announcement."

4. Planet Ark & APCO. (2025). "PFAS in Food Packaging."

5. Mamavation & Environmental Health News. (2022). "PFAS Chemicals Detected in Period Products."

6. Mamavation. (2023). "Band-Aids & Bandages Tested for PFAS Forever Chemicals."

7. Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR). (2025). "How PFAS Impacts Your Health." CDC.

8. Stanford Medicine News. (2024). "PFAS, aka 'forever chemicals': What the science says."

EcoSouLife, "Everything You Need to Know About PFAS and New Australian Regulations" (2025).

9. Dollar Sweets, "Unbleached Muffin Wraps," official product page.

10. Mamavation, "Cupcake Liners Tested for Indications of PFAS" (2023).

11. Consumer Reports, "Dangerous PFAS Chemicals Are in Your Food Packaging" (2022).