Addressing the Global PFAS Challenge

PFAS, man-made chemicals resistant to water, grease and stains, have made headlines in recent years, as concerns over their impacts on human health, animals and environments, have grown.

In this episode, we hear from PFAS experts, Jack Sheldon, a Senior Remediation Specialist with Antea Group USA, Lucie Robin Vigneron, Managing Director of HPC International and Jolanda Boisson, a Project Manager at Antea Group France, on the global landscape and the complexities of addressing PFAS.

They dive into the significant risks posed by PFAS and the regulatory challenges that companies face, emphasizing the need to take proactive action now.

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Guest Quotes

“I think it's really important to control the narrative and build that rapport with the regulator.Don't make the relationship adversarial from the start. Create a partnership with the regulatory environment, and you can drive the action then as a business, as opposed to waiting for the regulators to drive the action, which could be much more expensive, could come with a lot of other implications, and could have brand impacts.” - Jack Sheldon

“We hear more and more about the ban of PFAS. Now, for example, in France, there was a proposition for a law to ban PFAS in clothing and textiles. But, then all the textile industry,they will probably have to change their process of producing textile, or they will have to find substitutes for the PFAS. So, this also has a lot of costs for the industries.” - Jolanda Boisson

“Why it's important because it's already spread in the environment and we know already they are largely present and mixed. For example, there are some places in France, in the region of Lyon, where we already have a large contamination. This is already impacting every environment, including houses, gardens, animals and people.” - Lucie Robin Vigneron

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Time Stamps

00:00 Introduction to PFAS and their impact

01:23 Introduction to PFAS experts / start of panel conversation

02:37 Understanding PFAS chemical properties and concerns

04:20 PFAS in consumer products and environmental impact

13:44 Why leaders need to be aware of PFAS and global regulation

23:04 Regional differences in PFAS regulation

37:01 Advice for addressing PFAS issues

42:59 Phil’s key takeaways

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Rethinking EHS is brought to you by the Inogen Alliance. Inogen Alliance is a global network of environment, health, safety, sustainability and ESG consulting companies working together to provide one point of contact to guide multinational organizations to meet their global commitments locally. Visit http://www.inogenalliance.com/ to learn more.

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