Assent Inc. (Assent), the leading supply chain sustainability management solution provider, announced findings from its analysis of data gathered from manufacturers on usage of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), also known as ‘forever chemicals.’  

In the lead-up to the over 100 enacted or proposed PFAS regulations coming into effect globally – some as early as this month – manufacturers are collecting supply chain data using Assent’s end-to-end PFAS solution. The solution empowers manufacturers to identify usage of over 7,000 PFAS chemicals in scope of these various regulations across global supply chains to gain insight into regulatory, financial, and parts obsolescence risks. 

Based on 3 million declarations received from manufacturers, Assent’s analysis reveals that while thousands of potential PFAS exist, less than 500 have been confirmed to be commercially used. Of these, 10 are most commonly found, accounting for 70% of PFAS identified in global supply chains. Manufacturers can use this data to evaluate where risk occurs and address and prioritize substitutions to streamline their compliance efforts. 

Summary of Assent’s key findings:  

• Confirmed Presence in Parts: 82% of manufacturers using Assent’s PFAS ID module reported at least one declaration for a part (or multiple parts) in their supply chain contains PFAS. 
• Concentrated Supply Chain Risk: For Assent customers with PFAS identified in their supply chains, 70% of the PFAS identified can be traced to the top 10 most commonly found PFAS substances, and 86% to the top 20. In total, approximately 490 different PFAS substances have been identified through supplier engagement on behalf of Assent’s customers. 
• A Rising Impact: This percentage of declarations indicating a presence of PFAS has grown 49% over a one year period; 25% of parts also contain two or more PFAS substances.  
• High Risk for Obsolescence: 75% of the declarations with PFAS received by Assent are for substances that 3M will discontinue manufacturing by the end of 2025. This means that the risk of obsolescence is high, and companies need to act quickly to identify new alternatives to avoid disruptions to their businesses. 

With Canada’s PFAS reporting deadline today, U.S. requirements mandating disclosure of PFAS usage by January 2026 for in-scope companies, and a surge in global and state-level requirements, manufacturers must urgently prioritize supply chain visibility. 

“PFAS chemicals have been used so broadly for decades that it’s hard to imagine any manufacturer that won’t be critically impacted by federal and state regulations in 2025,” said Cally Edgren, vice president of regulatory and sustainability at Assent. “Achieving supply chain visibility doesn’t happen overnight. Manufacturers that haven’t yet started to engage their supply chain to track and manage PFAS data are behind and need to get started now to mitigate operational, regulatory, and financial risks.”  

Assent’s PFAS Solution provides manufacturers with the enhanced supply chain visibility needed to meet reporting requirements. This new analysis provides valuable information for manufacturers on where to focus their efforts, with supply chain risks frequently occurring from the same PFAS. 

Additional data and interviews with Assent’s PFAS experts are available upon request.