Believe it or not, per and polyfluoroalkyl substances, or PFAS chemicals are all around us. From the cleaning products in your home to the packaging in your last food delivery order, these chemicals are extremely hard to break down, giving them the apt title of forever chemicals.
These products can even be found in your workplace, putting your employees at risk of several health risks. But hope is not lost! Chemical substitution software can help you get a clear view of the hazardous chemicals in your organisation and simplify the process of substitution.
Read on to explore what products contain PFAS chemicals and how chemical substitution software can help you eliminate them from the workplace, helping you create a safer work environment for all employees.
What products contain PFAS chemicals
You might be wondering; how do I even begin to identify products which contain PFAS chemicals? Worry not! We’ve come up with a list of products that have been found to contain forever chemicals, to give you a place to start.
Cleaning products: Several cleaning products that may be found in the office or at your home have been found to contain forever chemicals. This includes glass cleaners, stain removal products, air fresheners, floor polish, and even dishwashing aids.
Grease-resistant packaging: Forever chemicals can be used in certain food packaging to make it more resistant to oil and grease. This includes things like corrugated paper and paperboard.
Water-resistant materials: How do companies make things waterproof? They add forever chemicals to make things like raincoats, umbrellas, and tents resistant to water.
Fire-proof material: Every office has a fire extinguisher, but did you know that PFAS chemicals have been found in the foam used to put out fires? They’ve also been found in fire-proof materials and protective gear.
Refrigeration, heating, and HVAC systems: Forever chemicals could be lurking in the gaskets or coating materials of refrigeration, heating, and cooling systems. They’ve also been found in fluorinated refrigerants and electrotechnical components, also found in these systems.
Drinking water: You read that right; PFAS chemicals have even been found in drinking water. The European Environment Agency announced in 2019 that PFAS chemicals were detected in the environment in Europe, which has resulted in contaminated drinking water around factories, airports, and military bases. The United States Geological Survey broke the news in 2023, that 45% of the country’s drinking water might contain forever chemicals.
Read more about this in our blog, PFAS in drinking water – what you need to know.
How chemical substitution software can help
Though it seems like there may be no escaping forever chemicals, there is a solution. Substitute these harmful chemicals for alternatives. How can this be done? Chemical substitution software is built to help organisations like yours eliminate PFAS from the workplace.
How does it work? We’re so glad you asked:
1. Centralise all information for a comprehensive view
A digital software solution allows you to centralise all information about the chemicals and products you have on site, in one easily accessible platform. Not only can you upload a list of all products on site, but you can also include their location, supplier, as well as the corresponding safety data sheet in your own customisable database. This gives you a comprehensive overview of all the products you have within your organisation, allowing you to easily identify and monitor any areas that may be of concern.
2. Use a comparison grid to choose from safer alternatives
Now that you have a snapshot of all the chemical products you have on site, start the substitution process by selecting those which may contain PFAS chemicals. You can do this by creating custom lists which will help you filter down to those which contain forever chemicals. Once you have made your selection, you then gain access to a database of safer alternatives to choose from.
But how can you choose the safest alternative? Chemical substitution software provides a comparison grid where you can see detailed information about all alternatives, including the safety data sheet, hazard pictograms and statements, as well as suppliers, compared to the original product.
This provides a clear view of all options, saving you time from researching alternatives and manually comparing them to your original product. A handy comparative view makes it easy for you to pick the safest product for your team and organisation.
3. Document everything
The final step is recording the alternative you’ve chosen within the chemical substitution software. When that’s complete, record what you’ll do with the original product. This can include archiving it within your database, deleting it, or keeping it. Once you’ve made your selection, choose when you want to phase out the original product, and include the reason you have chosen to substitute the product. In this case, it would be because it contains forever chemicals which could be harmful to your team. Digital software makes it easy to record the entire substitution process within the system. It’s also easily accessible with a few clicks so you can share the information with your team or externally as proof of compliance with legislation, if necessary.
You next step...
Simplify the chemical substitution process with EcoOnline’s user-friendly chemical substitution software. Not only can it do all the above, but you can also generate reports of the entire process to assess what needs improvement going forward.
Ready for an elevated approach to keeping your team safe from forever chemicals? Explore our solution now.