On December 30, 2025, the French government officially promulgated Decree No. 2025-1376, specifying the implementation details for the comprehensive ban on the manufacture, import, and sale of certain consumer products (cosmetics, waxes, textiles, footwear, and waterproofing agents) containing per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), effective from January 1, 2026. This decree aims to implement Decree No. 2025-188 passed on February 27, 2025, which seeks to protect the population from risks associated with PFAS. This marks a crucial step for France in controlling “forever chemicals” and represents one of the world’s strictest legislative practices in this field to date.
Effective and Transition Period Dates:
The decree comes into force on January 1, 2026. Simultaneously, it provides a 12-month sell-off period for existing stocks. Products manufactured before January 1, 2026, may continue to be sold or exported until December 31, 2026.
Definitions:
Perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances: any substance containing at least one fully fluorinated methyl (CF3-) or methylene (-CF2-) carbon atom, without any hydrogen, chlorine, bromine or iodine atoms attached.
Regulated Products:
According to the provisions of paragraph I of Article L. 524-1 of the Environmental Code: From January 1, 2026, the manufacture, import, export, and placing on the market (whether for consideration or free of charge) of the following are prohibited:
- Any cosmetic product containing PFAS;
- Any wax product containing PFAS;
- Any clothing textile product, footwear, and waterproofing agents for clothing textiles and footwear intended for consumers, containing PFAS.
According to the provisions of paragraph II of Article L. 524-1 of the Environmental Code: From January 1, 2030, the manufacture, import, export, and placing on the market (whether for consideration or free of charge) of any textile product containing PFAS are prohibited.
Exempted Product List:
Products benefiting from the exemption provided for in paragraph 3 of I of Article L. 524-1 include:
- Personal protective equipment falling within the scope of Regulation (EU) 2016/425, as well as personal protective equipment and combat equipment intended for the armed forces, internal security and civil defence;
- Waterproofing agents intended for the re-waterproofing of the personal protective equipment referred to in 1°;
- Clothing textiles and footwear incorporating at least twenty percent (20%) of recycled material from post-consumer waste. The presence of PFAS in the finished product is limited to the fraction of recycled material, so that the permissible amount of residual PFAS in the finished product is proportional to the proportion of recycled material incorporated.
Products benefiting from the exemption provided for in II of Article L. 524-1 include:
- Technical textiles for industrial uses;
- The following products, provided that there is no substitute solution for the use of PFAS:
i) Personal protective equipment falling within the scope of Regulation (EU) 2016/425;
ii) Personal protective equipment intended for the armed forces, internal security, and civil defense;
iii) Equipment present in combat systems, as well as that intended for operations under nuclear, radiological, biological, and chemical threat;
iv) Sanitary textiles intended for medical uses, including products used for medical care referred to in paragraph 5 of III of Article R. 543-360 of the Environmental Code; - Clothing textiles and footwear incorporating at least twenty percent (20%) of recycled material from post-consumer waste. The presence of PFAS in the finished product is limited to the fraction of recycled material, meaning the permissible amount of residual PFAS in the finished product is proportional to the proportion of incorporated recycled material.
Residue Limits:
- For any PFAS measured by targeted analysis, excluding polymers, the threshold is set at 25 ppb;
- For the sum of PFAS measured as the sum of targeted analyses of PFAS, possibly with prior degradation of precursors, excluding polymers, the threshold is set at 250 ppb;
- For PFAS including polymers the threshold is set at 50 ppm. In cases where total fluorine measurement exceeds 50 mg F/kg, the manufacturer, importer, exporter or market supplier shall provide proof to the competent authorities upon request that the fluorine content originates from PFAS or non-PFAS substances.
These values are intended to be revised in the event of changes to the technical modalities provided for under European Regulations (EC) No 1907/2006 or (EU) 2019/1021.
What PFI can do for you?
✔ Scope Definition & Exemption Assessment
Precisely evaluate whether products fall under the scope of France’s PFAS regulations and verify exemption eligibility.
✔ Risk Assessment
Conduct risk screening for products and materials, and develop customized compliance strategies.
✔ Testing & Verification
Provide PFAS and total fluorine testing, complete compliance analysis, and issue authoritative reports.
✔ Recycled Material Audit
Offer audit and certification support for products using recycled materials.
✔ Source Tracing
Perform professional PFAS source tracing analysis for recycled materials or complex products, providing key evidence for compliance.
