SaferWorldbyDesign: Environmental Assessment Elements of SSbD applied to PFAS substitution

The environmental and ecotoxicological dimensions of Safe and Sustainable by Design (SSbD) are particularly important for PFAS substitution because replacing a hazardous substance does not necessarily result in a safer or more sustainable solution. Candidate alternatives should therefore be assessed across their lifecycle, considering environmental release and exposure, persistence, mobility, bioaccumulation and relevant ecotoxicological effects alongside human health, technical performance and sustainability criteria. A tiered, evidence-based approach can combine existing hazard and exposure information with computational methods, New Approach Methodologies and targeted ecotoxicity testing, progressing to more detailed assessment where uncertainties or potential concerns remain. This helps avoid regrettable substitution by identifying environmental trade-offs and evidence gaps early, comparing alternatives within their intended Context of Use, and documenting the evidence and uncertainties supporting the final decision. In this way, SSbD shifts PFAS substitution from simply replacing one chemical with another towards selecting and designing alternatives that deliver the required functionality while reducing environmental impacts and potential future liabilities across the product lifecycle.

Emmanuel Maillard (Edelweiss Connect)

I currently serve as Chief Environmental Assessment Officer at Edelweiss Connect GmbH, a Swiss company developing innovative solutions and knowledge infrastructures for human and environmental safety assessment, New Approach Methodologies (NAMs), Safe and Sustainable by Design (SSbD), and next-generation risk assessment. Throughout my career, I have worked across research organizations, consulting firms, testing laboratories, technology centres and industry-facing environments, contributing to projects spanning ecotoxicity, biodegradability, environmental risk assessment, life cycle impact assessment (LCIA) on cosmetics, detergents, pharmaceuticals, pesticides or plastics.