2019 Outlook: Companies Latching Onto Nonstick Chemical Alternatives

Manufacturers of hundreds of products—from microwave popcorn to plastic cups to firefighting foam—will continue to seek alternatives to products containing chemical compounds that have contaminated water supplies around the country.

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) have been used to manufacture nonstick and stain-resistant coatings in clothing, fast-food wrappers, carpets, and other consumer and industrial products.

The Environmental Protection Agency is expected to release a plan to address the contaminants in 2019, but with a lack of enforceable regulations and the possibility of lawsuits, companies will take the initiative to find their own solutions, sources told Bloomberg Environment. ...