The EU PFAS restriction

By Abi O'Callaghan-Platt

As Environmenstrual Week shines a spotlight on the links between menstrual health, environmental sustainability, and gender equality, members of Break Free From Plastic and Zero Waste Europe sent a letter to their national governments calling on them to support a comprehensive EU wide ban on PFAS. 

Menstrual products and PFAS 

PFAS, often dubbed "forever chemicals," are extremely persistent synthetic compounds that accumulate in the environment and human tissues. Recent testing across Europe has repeatedly revealed the presence of PFAS in both single-use and reusable menstrual products (including pads, tampons, and period underwear), where they are added to provide liquid resistance and stain proofing. In the meantime, several PFAS are restricted in cosmetics, textiles and food packaging. 

Because menstrual products come into direct contact with highly permeable mucous membranes (the vagina is thought to be 10-80% more absorbent than the skin on the rest of the body) for extended periods every month, for many years of our lives, exposure risks are a critical concern.  

PFAS are recognized endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs) associated with severe long-term health outcomes, including: 

  • Disruptions to hormonal and reproductive systems, 
  • Increased risk of conditions such as endometriosis and breast cancer, 
  • Reduced fertility and potential adverse effects on foetal development, 
  • Impaired immune system response. 

Menstrual equity 

For women and people who menstruate, period products are a necessity, yet we are left to navigate a complex marketplace with limited information about product ingredients. Those who want to avoid potentially harmful chemicals are frequently required to spend time researching products, interpreting technical information, and often paying more for alternatives. This creates an unequal system where access to safer products depends on income, education, and access to information.  

Menstrual justice means ensuring that everyone can access safe, non-toxic menstrual products, regardless of their background or financial circumstances. The responsibility for avoiding harmful exposures should not rest on individuals alone. It should be built into the products available on our shelves. 

The universal PFAS restriction 

The proposed EU-wide PFAS restriction represents one of the most significant chemical policy developments in Europe in recent decades. 

If adopted without major loopholes, it could dramatically reduce exposure to these persistent chemicals and prevent future contamination. However, exemptions for consumer products, including menstrual products, risk undermining these benefits and leaving menstruating people exposed. 

For this reason we are calling for governments to support a broad restriction covering all PFAS uses across industry, agriculture, and consumer products. 

What Governments should do 

To protect public health and advance menstrual justice, governments should: 

- Support a comprehensive PFAS ban - Back a broad, loophole-free restriction that prevents PFAS from entering menstrual products, whether intentionally added or introduced through manufacturing processes. 

- Increase access to non-toxic and reusable menstrual products - Promote policies that improve availability, affordability, and public awareness of safer menstrual options. 

- Improve transparency - Require full ingredient disclosure on menstrual product packaging so consumers can make informed choices about the products they use. 

Here in Ireland VOICE sent the letter calling for their support of the universal PFAS restriction to Ministers Darragh O’Brien (Minister for Climate, Energy and the Environment),  Alan Dillon (Minister of State for Employment, Small Businesses and Retail & Circular Economy), and Jennifer Carroll MacNeill (Minister for Health).  

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