Editor’s Note: This is the first installment in an ongoing series for The Robin Report about PFAS in consumer products, one of the most disruptive and far-reaching environmental dangers to confront the retail industry. In the months ahead, this series will dive deep into how the growing PFAS crisis is reshaping key sectors—from apparel and beauty to home goods and food retail—and what it means for the future of brands, supply chains, and consumer trust.

There’s no shortage of major issues facing today’s retailers—supply chain fragility, inflation, labor churn, and shifting consumer habits. But looming just beyond the current headlines is a chemical crisis that’s already transforming how manufacturers, suppliers, regulators, and even water utilities operate. PFAS is the “forever factor,” and its reckoning is here. With implications that stretch across every product category and supply chain, PFAS represents not just an environmental crisis but defines a challenge for the future of commerce itself. For retailers, it will impact everything from product development, shelf placement, and packaging to pricing, and ultimately, consumer trust.

PFAS first grabbed headlines for contaminating drinking water—and for good reason. Recent studies suggest that up to half of all U.S. households may have toxic levels of PFAS in their tap water. And the problem doesn’t stop at the kitchen sink. The PFAS crisis reaches far beyond the faucet, infiltrating an astonishing range of industries, supply chains, and everyday consumer products.

PFAS Crisis

PFAS—short for per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances—are a class of over 15,000 manmade compounds prized for their resistance to water, oil, heat, and grease. They’re the backbone of modern convenience: Stain-proof rugs, nonstick pans, waterproof mascara, weather-resistant jackets, fast-food wrappers, and thousands of other everyday items owe their performance to PFAS chemistry. But there’s a catch: PFAS don’t break down in nature or the human body. And over time, their accumulation has been linked to everything from cancer and immune system dysfunction to liver damage and cognitive developmental delays.

PFAS first grabbed headlines for contaminating drinking water—and for good reason. Recent studies suggest that up to half of all U.S. households may have toxic levels of PFAS in their tap water. And the problem doesn’t stop at the kitchen sink. The PFAS crisis reaches far beyond the faucet, infiltrating an astonishing range of industries, supply chains, and everyday consumer products.

Capture and Cleanup

“There’s no bigger environmental issue right now touching virtually every aspect of society and industry than PFAS,” said Michelle Bellanca, CEO of Claros Technologies, the leading company deploying advanced technology to permanently destroy PFAS from industrial wastewater and contaminated environments. “For many nonessential uses—like certain cosmetics or food packaging—phasing out PFAS entirely makes sense and is already underway. But in critical consumer applications, such as medical devices, smartphones, and lithium batteries, there often aren’t viable substitutes yet.

“That’s why the smarter path, and the one gaining consensus among regulators and industry leaders, is to focus on two things: first, making sure PFAS used in essential applications are captured and destroyed before they ever leave a facility; and second, accelerating cleanup efforts where PFAS have already contaminated our environment,” added Bellanca. “At Claros, we’re doing both—and that’s the future we’re helping to shape.”

PFAS Legal Complexity

What began as a relatively obscure environmental issue just a couple of decades ago is now snowballing into one of the biggest legal quagmires in recent history. From industrial giants to consumer brands, companies across the spectrum are being pulled into a tidal wave of litigation over PFAS exposure—facing mounting liability for products and practices that, until recently, were largely flying under the radar.

“One window into just how widespread the PFAS problem has become is the legal fallout,” said Christian Simmons, torts expert and writer for Drugwatch.com. “Right now, there are nearly 9,000 lawsuits pending in federal court tied to exposure from firefighting foam alone—cases involving claims that PFAS chemicals have caused cancer and other serious health conditions. And that’s just one product category. The broader implications for consumer goods are massive.”

For retailers, the bigger storm is brewing around product liability, compliance, and consumer perception. PFAS are everywhere—and regulators, investors, and customers are paying attention. From apparel to home furnishings, cosmetics to cookware, the retail sector is in the crosshairs of a growing global crackdown on these persistent chemicals.

California and Minnesota have already enacted sweeping restrictions on PFAS in consumer products, with bans covering categories like textiles, cosmetics, food packaging, and cookware. “Amara’s Law” in Minnesota, passed in 2023 and named after a young woman who died of PFAS-induced cancer, has become a blueprint for similar legislation nationwide. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has taken significant steps toward regulating PFAS. During the Biden administration, new rules finalizing enforceable drinking water standards for six compounds and new reporting requirements under the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) were released—though some of those actions are now facing potential rollback under the Trump administration, adding fresh uncertainty to an already complex regulatory landscape.

PFAS Retail Ecosystem

Retailers can no longer afford to treat these developments as background noise—because the industry isn’t just adjacent to the PFAS crisis; it’s ground zero.

From big-box chains and grocery stores to fashion brands, home goods suppliers, and electronics retailers, PFAS exposure touches virtually every corner of the retail ecosystem. These chemicals are embedded in countless consumer products—from nonstick cookware and waterproof cosmetics to stain-resistant furniture and smartphone components. As public awareness intensifies and regulatory pressure mounts, retailers are being forced to rethink product lines, overhaul sourcing strategies, and confront growing reputational and legal risks.

The home improvement and DIY sector, for example, is particularly exposed. “PFAS are found in a myriad of building materials,” said Andy Pace, founder of The Green Design Center and host of the Non-Toxic Environments podcast. “They’re most commonly found in water-based paints, but they also show up in adhesives, sealants, and many surface coatings. It’s pervasive.” As consumers become more environmentally conscious—and as litigation heats up—major home retailers like Home Depot and Lowe’s are under increasing pressure to audit their assortments. While neither has made sweeping PFAS-related announcements, both companies have faced shareholder proposals and public campaigns calling for transparency and phase-outs.

A 2023 investigation by Toxic-Free Future found PFAS in the majority of textile products purchased at major U.S. retailers, including outdoor gear and furniture. It’s not hard to imagine a future in which product labeling for PFAS becomes as common—and expected—as GMO disclosures or BPA-free packaging. And in an age where “clean beauty,” “natural living,” and “sustainable home” are lucrative consumer lanes, PFAS-free may become the next must-have brand promise.

But eliminating PFAS from consumer goods isn’t a simple substitution game. As Claros’ Bellanca notes, many PFAS-based applications remain essential to performance, especially in areas like medical devices, semiconductors, aerospace components, and industrial gear. But they’re also critical in more everyday products—think rechargeable batteries in smartphones, heat-resistant wiring in kitchen appliances, weatherproof electrical components, and advanced filtration systems used in refrigerators and water purifiers. Even where alternatives exist, they may not match the durability, safety, or cost-effectiveness of PFAS—at least not yet. That creates a logistical nightmare for brands and retailers trying to proactively “clean up” their assortments without sacrificing functionality or profitability.

The risk calculus is shifting fast. Retailers that fail to act may not just face backlash from environmentally savvy shoppers—they could find themselves entangled in costly litigation or penalized by emerging global trade rules. Supply chains will be strained. Compliance costs will climb. And consumer trust will be on the line.

America Lags Behind

Europe is significantly ahead of the U.S. in regulating PFAS, and in an interconnected global market, this disparity matters. In 2023, the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) proposed sweeping restrictions under the REACH regulation that could ban over 10,000 PFAS compounds from being manufactured, used, or sold in the EU, except for essential applications. Additionally, starting January 1, 2026, France will ban, with limited exceptions, the manufacture, import, export, and marketing of products containing PFAS in items such as clothing, footwear, cosmetics, and ski wax, with the ban extending to all textile products by 2030 unless deemed essential.

These regulatory advancements in the EU are setting new benchmarks for product safety and environmental responsibility. Retailers operating internationally must navigate these stringent regulations, which could influence global supply chains and consumer expectations. As European regulators continue to implement comprehensive PFAS restrictions, U.S. retailers may face increased pressure to align with these standards to maintain market access and consumer trust.

Moving Forward

As retailers grapple with the implications of PFAS contamination, some brands are recognizing a significant market opportunity emerging from consumer demand for safer products. Among those seeing this potential is Jeff Leitman, CEO of Hell’s Kitchen Cookware, a brand that has invested considerable resources into developing PFAS-free cookware. Leitman believes addressing this issue isn’t just about consumer preference—it’s also about industry responsibility.

“The growing awareness around health and environmental concerns related to PFAS has created a pivotal moment for our industry,” noted Leitman. “Consumers are actively searching for products they trust, and brands that step up to deliver safer, healthier options have a real opportunity to lead. At Hell’s Kitchen Cookware, we saw this shift happening early and committed ourselves to innovating around PFAS-free materials. It wasn’t easy—effective, durable PFAS-free coatings were still emerging—but we viewed the challenge as essential. We knew if we could get this right, we’d be responding to a clear market need while setting a new standard for the cookware industry.”

PFAS are no longer just a regulatory concern—they’ve become a full-blown business model issue. What’s coming is a reckoning that will ripple through every link in the retail value chain, from R&D labs and procurement teams to store shelves and stockrooms. Retailers that take proactive steps now—by mapping their PFAS exposure, collaborating with suppliers, exploring safer alternatives, and embracing transparency—will be far better positioned to adapt.

Retailers who fail to take the PFAS crisis seriously aren’t just overlooking a regulatory hurdle—they’re underestimating one of the most far-reaching environmental and consumer safety challenges of our time. This is not a passing trend or a matter of green optics. It’s a structural reckoning that will define the next era of retail. From litigation and legislation to consumer trust and global market access, the consequences are mounting.

Those who lead now will shape the future. Those who don’t may not have a place in it.