Fluoropolymers have well-established safety profiles and do not present a significant concern for human health or the environment. Because of their unique combination of physical and chemical properties, fluoropolymers meet criteria developed to identify polymers of low concern for potential risk to human health or the environment.
Fluoropolymers are large, stable, inert polymeric molecules. Polymeric, high molecular weight fluoropolymers are too large to cross biological membranes and therefore present little potential for human or environmental exposure. Fluoropolymers are not water soluble and as a result do not dissociate into small-molecule PFAS. Therefore, they are not likely found in sources of drinking water.
Importantly, fluoropolymers are not PFOA or PFOS or other long-chain PFAS, nor can they transform to those substances in the environment.
Regulation and Oversight:
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
EPA regulates fluoropolymers under the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) and their manufacturing under other environmental laws like the Clean Water Act.
U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA)
FDA oversees the use of fluoropolymers in medical devices, food-contact materials, and other uses, and in 2025 the agency stated they have been used safely in medical devices for decades.
U.S. Department of Defense (DOD)
DOD has identified fluoropolymers as critical to national security and recommends regulations that consider the importance of fluoropolymers to security and related, linked industries versus broad, class-based restrictions.
U.S. Department of Energy (DOE)
DOE released a report in early 2024 that distinguishes fluoropolymers from other PFAS and details their critical importance to government and military interests as well as numerous U.S. industries.
State Regulations
A growing number of states are enacting their own PFAS regulations, which can differ significantly in their treatment of fluoropolymers, creating confusion and regulatory misalignment for the industries that rely on fluoropolymers.
Please see the information resources below that detail the safety research and regulation of fluoropolymers:
Video Clip: Are Fluoropolymers Safe?
Infographic: U.S. Food and Drug Administration on the Safety and Critical Importance of Fluoropolymers in Medical Devices
Infographic: An Emerging Scientific Consensus on Fluorotechnology & PFAS
Infographic: Federal Regulatory Efforts to Address PFAS
Blog: New Study Demonstrates Vast Majority of Commercial Fluoropolymers Meet Criteria for Polymers of Low Concern Designation
Website: ChemicalSafetyFacts.org – Fluoropolymers