Decoded Korea

PFAS — per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, the "forever chemicals" — are the target of the largest chemical restriction in EU history. A proposal to limit more than 10,000 of them at once is moving through the EU system, with a decision expected in 2026. Several US states have already banned them from cosmetics, textiles, and furniture. Korea's chemical database, K-REACH, registers 147 PFAS. None carry the "prohibited" flag. Eighteen are classified as persistent organic pollutants. The rest — about 129 — are registered with no hazard classification at all. What PFAS are PFAS are a family of synthetic chemicals built around carbon-fluorine bonds, among the strongest in chemistry. That bond is why they resist heat, water, and oil, and why they are used in non-stick coatings, waterproof fabrics, food packaging, and firefighting foam. It is also why they do not break down — they persist in water, soil, and human blood for years. Hence "forever chemicals....