GOOD STORIES
For MedTech companies, PFAS substitution is becoming a strategic priority, not just a compliance exercise. The EU's PFAS restriction is still being finalized, but as proposed, many device categories are expected to receive some of the longest derogation periods of any sector. That won't fully insulate MedTech as this sector only accounts for around 7% of total EU PFAS consumption. Hence, the sector depends on suppliers serving far larger industries that face shorter deadlines. The availability of PFAS could therefore tighten and costs could rise before MedTech's own regulatory timeline.
Waiting for regulatory clarity is therefore a risky strategy. One international MedTech company recognized this early and wanted to accelerate its transition toward PFAS-free medical devices. Emendo was brought in to support the harder substitution cases, where no direct replacement could be identified.
THE CHALLENGE
The customer had already identified PFAS-containing components across several products and started substitution activities internally, but quickly found that no material offered a direct one-to-one replacement.
The remaining cases included coatings, tubing and bearing elements, primarily based on fluoropolymers such as PTFE.
A key challenge for finding alternative materials was that the material requirements of the PFAS-containing components reflected the full property profile of the original PFAS material, rather than the actual functional requirements of the component.
As no PFAS-free alternative material can match the same combination of properties as PFAS, the project required a reassessment of which requirements were truly essential, including parameters such as biocompatibility, low-friction performance, temperature resistance and flexibility.
OUR APPROACH
Using Emendo’s established PFAS substitution playbook, adapted to the customer’s needs, we combined material science, market screening and supplier engagement.
Our work included:
THE RESULTS
The customer came away with revised material requirements that opened the field to alternative materials, without compromising the functional needs of the components.
Together with the revised requirements the customer received a detailed overview of available PFAS-free materials and relevant suppliers. Furthermore, several candidate materials were sourced for testing on the customer’s side.
Beyond the individual substitution cases, the customer walked away with a structured, repeatable methodology for evaluating and selecting PFAS-free alternatives. One the internal team can now apply to the remaining components without starting from scratch each time.
Facing a Difficult PFAS Substitution?
PFAS substitution is rarely a simple material swap. Emendo supports the full journey, from identifying PFAS-containing components and screening alternatives to requirement definition, supplier sourcing, testing strategy and redesign where needed. With broad material science expertise, an extensive supplier network and an established substitution playbook, we help companies build a structured path toward PFAS-free products.
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In collaboration with IDA Polymer