The French cookware manufacturer Groupe SEB has been given an ultimatum by three environmental groups to stop using PFAS, also known as ‘forever chemicals’.
This was reported by Euronews.
Despite heated debates over the ban on poly- and perfluoroalkyl compounds, the Tefal brand, which is owned by Groupe SEB, continues to use them in the non-stick coating of some of its kitchenware.
Three environmental organisations – ClientEarth, Générations Futures and Notre Affaire à Tous – are convinced that the company’s approach to the use of these harmful synthetic compounds does not meet the requirements of current French legislation on corporate responsibility and is outdated.
"It is not only PFAS manufacturers who must be held accountable for their actions. Companies at the end of the production chain that directly use these substances must also demonstrate that a PFAS-free market is possible," emphasised Hélène Dugui, an environmental lawyer at ClientEarth.
Groupe SEB told Euronews journalists that it would respond to these allegations only after examining them and, if necessary.
Public requirements
The statements issued by environmental groups do not yet constitute a legal claim, but could lead to one. The organisations have stated that they may take this step if Groupe SEB does not commit to phasing out PFAS entirely within three months.
Non-governmental organisations claim that Tefal and its parent company are engaging in outright manipulation. Apparently, the latest control plan, which Groupe SEB provided at the request of legislators, classifies PTFE (polytetrafluoroethylene) as ‘safe’.
However, this substance is classified as a ‘persistent chemical’. According to the company’s statement, the Tefal brand uses this compound in the manufacture of cookware.
Concerns about the safety of Tefal cookware
In fact, unlike other PFAS, PTFE has not yet been linked to an increased risk of cancer. However, Groupe SEB is already under close scrutiny.
The danger posed by PTFE is not immediate, but rather a potential one. However, even this contradicts the claims made in Tefal’s advertising campaign, which asserted that the cookware was completely safe. Incidentally, in 2025 this became the subject of a lawsuit against Groupe SEB for misleading commercial practices.
"PTFE is non-toxic, but the way it is manufactured and disposed of can lead to the release of toxic PFAS. If you have these products at home, you may not be contaminating your own home, but you could be contributing to pollution at the site where the PTFE was manufactured, or at a future landfill site where this PTFE will end up,” said Hans Peter Arp, Professor of Environmental Chemistry at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology.
The harm and the path to a ban
Discussions regarding a ban on PFAS have been ongoing in the EU for several years now. However, legislators have already included exemptions, notably for defence and healthcare. Lobbyists, meanwhile, want to make the list of exemptions as broad as possible.
It is expected that a formal proposal will be submitted in early 2027. The European Commission is currently awaiting the final report from the European Chemicals Agency, which is expected in December.
At the same time, the agency has already described PFAS as extremely harmful and is calling for alternatives to be used. For cookware, this could be cast iron, and Groupe SEB is already using it in a range of products.
PFAS were invented in the first half of the 20th century. They can be found in raincoats, food packaging and personal care products. It is now virtually impossible to remove them completely from the environment. In Europe, 23,000 sites contaminated with ‘forever chemicals’ have already been identified.
It is worth noting that PFAS are linked to risks of cancer, reduced birth weight in newborns, disruption of the immune, reproductive and endocrine systems, and a reduced immune response to childhood vaccinations.
These substances are extremely stable, so they do not break down in the natural environment for hundreds or even thousands of years.
