The huge costs of PFAS pollution in Europe
At the end of January 2026, the European Commission’s Directorate-General for the Environment, together with specialist partners, published its latest study on the expected societal costs of PFAS pollution. As things stand today, the costs are estimated at €440 billion by 2050 if there is no further regulation on the use and prevention of PFAS emissions will be set in force.
PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances), known as “forever chemicals,” are harmful to human health and the environment. This results in costs that are usually borne by the general public: for medical treatment, but also for removing these substances from contaminated water or soil.
The recently published study, conducted by the Directorate-General for the Environment in collaboration with Ricardo, Trinomics, and WSP, is based on the latest data, which was evaluated using an improved methodology.
Four scenarios considered
The societal costs to be expected in the European Economic area (EEA) were assessed for four hypothetical exposure scenarios:
- Business as usual (BAU) for emissions;
- full compliance with the Drinking Water Directive (DWD);
- full compliance with Environmental Quality Standards (EQS); and
- a total ban on PFAS production and use.
These four scenarios were modeled for the period from 2024 to 2050, based on data from 2024. This data was determined through comprehensive literature research and targeted expert surveys.
With respect to health costs, the authors considered only the small number of substances that are already regulated and whose health effects are already documented and quantifiable. These substances are PFOA, PFOS, PFHxS, and PFNA. The people most vulnerable to these contaminations are infants and children as well as people who live and/or work near particularly contaminated sites.
In scenarios 1 and 2, health costs slowly decrease over time because substances already known to be harmful to health are banned, but the costs of treating or remediating water and soil increase, as do the costs incurred by the loss of ecosystem services. Scenario 3 also leads to a reduction in healthcare costs, but to extremely high sums for wastewater treatment. Only scenario 4 leads to a reduction in remediation costs in the long term. Scenarios 3 and 4 also result in a decline in losses of ecosystem services over time.
Jessika Roswall, Commissioner for Environment, Water Resilience and a Competitive Economy, said: “Providing clarity on PFAS with bans for consumer uses is a top priority for both citizens and businesses. That is why this is an absolute priority for me to work on this and engage with all relevant stakeholders. Consumers are concerned, and rightly so. This study underlines the urgency to act.”
Current status of PFAS regulation in the EU
In the EU, the above-mentioned substances PFOS, PFOA, PFHxS and related substances, as well as long-chain PFCA, are already banned. In 2024, the use of undecafluorohexanoic acid (PFHxA) and related substances in consumer textiles, food packaging, cosmetics, and other consumer products, as well as for some applications of firefighting foams, was also banned. Since October 2025, phasing-out of all PFAS uses in firefighting foams has been underway.
With the adoption of the new Drinking Water Directive, all member states are required to monitor PFAS in drinking water and comply with limit values.
The final assessment of the PFAS restriction proposal by the European Chemicals Agency is expected by the end of 2026. The Commission intends to prepare its regulatory proposal on the basis of the ECHA assessment.
To the study:
European Commission: Directorate-General for Environment, Ricardo, Trinomics and WSP, The cost of PFAS pollution for our society – Final report, Publications Office of the European Union, 2026, https://data.europa.eu/doi/10.2779/9590509