Leveraging innovation to develop sustainable solutions
“PFAS" represents a very broad family of substances, including thousands of different chemicals, all with very different profiles and properties. Among them, fluorosurfactants used in the manufacture of some fluoropolymers are the PFAS substances currently under the most intense spotlight and regulatory oversight.
Fluoropolymers are materials that are essential for electric vehicle batteries, hybrid engines, hydrogen applications, renewable energy installations, semiconductor manufacturing, medical devices, and more.
Innovating with non-fluorosurfactant technologies
At Syensqo, we produce a vast majority of fluoropolymers without the use of fluorosurfactants.
For the manufacturing of some very specialized fluoropolymers, we developed a new polymerization process that no longer requires the use of fluorosurfactants while keeping the unique properties of these products, as required for special applications.
Guided by our sustainability roadmap, we have quadrupled our investment in R&I since 2019 to invent a next-generation, more sustainable range of very specialized fluoropolymers through a new technology that is being rolled out across these product lines.
After a first step of voluntarily eliminating the use of fluorosurfactants in the US in July 2021, Syensqo’s innovation power will enable it to further manufacture nearly 100% of its fluoropolymers without the use of fluorosurfactants at its Spinetta Marengo facility by 2026. One small product line, critical for the semiconductor and energy industries and representing less than 1% of production volume, will require further research and development to complete the voluntary phase-out of fluorosurfactants. A tightly-controlled, closed-loop and zero liquid discharge production process will be used for this production line. While this transition occurs, Syensqo continues investing in state-of-the-art technologies with the objective to eliminate fluorosurfactant emissions from its manufacturing at Spinetta Marengo.
Our ambition
At Syensqo, we believe in the importance of fluoropolymers which play an important role in many essential applications, including electric vehicle batteries, hybrid engines, green hydrogen applications, renewable energy installations, semiconductor manufacturing, medical devices, and more. Therefore, fluoropolymers will continue to be an important part of our product portfolio and we are proud of our new, non-fluorosurfactant technology.
- Syensqo’s goal is to phase out the use of fluorosurfactants globally.
- Our success in developing non-fluorosurfactant technologies in West Deptford, New Jersey (US) was the first step in our journey.
- We are now working towards the objective of manufacturing nearly 100% of our fluoropolymers without the use of fluorosurfactants in Spinetta Marengo, Italy by 2026.
- Today in Spinetta Marengo, we only manufacture limited quantities of a next-generation fluorosurfactant (C6O4) while we transition to the new non-fluorosurfactant technology.
- C6O4 is neither biopersistent nor bioaccumulative, is registered in accordance with REACH (the European Union's regulation for the Registration, Evaluation, Authorization and Restriction of Chemicals) and has been approved by the EFSA (European Food Safety Authority).
In addition, for our manufacturing in Spinetta Marengo, Syensqo applies state-of-the-art techniques that eliminate nearly 100% of fluorosurfactant emissions.
Quick facts on Syensqo and PFAS
- Syensqo has never manufactured or sold PFOA or PFNA.
- Syensqo never used PFOS or manufactured firefighting foams—a key source of certain PFAS in the environment.
- Syensqo voluntarily phased out use of PFOA and PFNA in the U.S. in 2003 and 2010, respectively, and phased out use of PFOA globally in 2013.
Frequently Asked Questions
PFAS includes a very large spectrum of substances, with very diverse properties. Syensqo has been innovating to find alternatives for the PFAS substances that may trigger concern, which is why our focus has been on phasing out the use of fluorosurfactants.
Syensqo manufactures fluoropolymers, which are technically PFAS, but these are chemically inert materials. They are non-toxic, not bioavailable (i.e not able to enter the human bloodstream), non-water soluble and non-mobile molecules.
Syensqo’s fluoropolymers serve highly specialized industrial applications supporting a more sustainable society. Without fluoropolymers, we wouldn’t have high performance batteries for electric vehicles, membranes for hydrogen fuel cells or water purification and treatment, efficient semiconductor manufacturing processes, and a wide range of medical devices. There are few, if any, viable alternatives that provide the same advanced performance and safety.
We have 5 production sites manufacturing fluoropolymers, and only one site still using a fluorosurfactant, with a commitment to phase it out by 2026.
- Tavaux (France) - Orange (TX, USA) - Changshu (China): where we make fluoropolymers that do not require the use of fluorosurfactants at these three sites.
- West Deptford (USA) where Syensqo phased out the use of fluorosurfactants in 2021 with our launch of non-fluorosurfactant technologies.
- Spinetta Marengo (Italy) - the only fluorosurfactant we still use in Spinetta (called C6O4) is a next generation fluorosurfactant, mainly, it is not bioaccumulative (i.e it does not concentrate and accumulate in organisms). The compound is not sold. It is used as a process aid in small quantities in the production of some - but not all fluoropolymers.
Syensqo has been investigating and implementing remedial actions since 2013 in the area of its West Deptford, US facility. Syensqo commenced these actions voluntarily upon learning of detections of PFAS in the area of its plant. In June, 2023, Syensqo reached an agreement with NJDEP (New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection) for legacy PFAS contamination.
With this settlement, Syensqo is agreeing to investigate, test for, and remediate PFAS contamination throughout the area near the West Deptford Site, including contamination for which other sources are responsible. This agreement represents a constructive and timely path toward remediating PFAS in the environment, while allowing Syensqo to recover costs from other sources of PFAS.
The company transitioned its West Deptford, NJ facility to use non-fluorosurfactants technologies as of July 2021.
As of April 25, 2024, Syensqo’s subsidiary in the United States - Solvay Specialty Polymers LLC - is a defendant in 36 lawsuits in the United States relating to its alleged use of PFAS. Of these, 15 cases reached material resolution in 2023 and are expected to be dismissed in 2024.
For the remaining 21 cases, two claims are brought by State governments, Michigan and Illinois - where Syensqo does not have any PFAS related operations - seeking natural resource damages and other relief. Eighteen are filed by individuals living near the New Jersey facility, seeking compensation for personal injury damages. One is filed by a municipality in the area of a customer’s manufacturing plant.
The case is pending before the Judge of the Preliminary Hearing. As the legal process unfolds, Syensqo is confident in the integrity and compliance of its environmental management practices. The company firmly believes that its management team has always operated with integrity, strictly following environmental laws and regulations. Syensqo will continue to defend this position.
It is also important to highlight that since its acquisition of the Spinetta Marengo facilities in 2002, Solvay (now Syensqo) management has continuously invested in the best and most innovative technologies for the removal of pollutants due to past and pre-Solvay management productions.
Syensqo has been investing in the best available technologies to reduce emissions to nearly 100 % - a level that is known as technical zero. We have invested more than EUR 60 million in a new advanced water treatment technology (reverse osmosis and activated carbon) these past couple of years to eliminate fluorinated surfactant emissions.
Regarding emissions in air and water, in agreement and sharing with the authorities, Solvay/Syensqo constantly carries out monitoring and results do not raise concern. The dedicated Technical local body at the Municipality of Alessandria concluded that the analysis does not "need to issue precautionary measures aimed at health protection."
The Spinetta site complies with all the environmental permits granted by the competent authorities and is one of the most monitored sites in Europe, with hundreds of analyses done by the authorities per year.
Syensqo relies on its own dataset of monitoring of the health of its workers (+800 people since 2004) - by definition the most exposed group to the substances used over the years at our facility. We have carried out more than 7,700 blood tests over the past 20 years. All results were shared transparently and consistently with employees, with unions and health authorities. The occupational medicine department consistently carries out annual and detailed health checks for each employee. These assessments did not report any pathological effects towards the health of our employees working in contact with fluorosurfactants.
Syensqo Tavaux mainly manufactures Polyvinylidene Fluoride (PVDF), a fluoropolymer used in the production of new generations of lithium-ion batteries for hybrid and electric vehicles by leading battery manufacturers worldwide. The portfolio includes binders and separator coatings for Li-ion cells that are safe and stable electrochemically and thermally, with high energy density and a long lifespan.
The Syensqo site in Tavaux site does not use and does not produce fluorinated surfactants, the PFAS substances under the spotlight and included in the European directive on water intended for human consumption.
