Kaiser Permanente, one of the largest healthcare providers in the US, has banned the use of perand polyfluorinated chemicals (PFCs) as additives in the furniture, finishes and materials it uses for building projects.

PFCs provide water repellency and stain resistance in upholstery, and durability, UV resistance and anti-corrosive properties in building materials, according to the chemical industry trade group, FluoroCouncil.

However, there has been a call to phase out the use of long-chain PFCs amid concerns over their persistence and toxicity, and the safety of short-chain alternatives is disputed.

Kaiser Permanente's ban extends not only to long-chain, C8 forms, but also to short-chain, C4 to C6 forms of fluorochemicals. It took effect at the beginning of the year and applies to new and remodelling projects.

According to Jennifer MacDaniel, Kaiser Permanente's facilities planning and design project principal, the company relied on internal research, input from NGOs and cues from chemical management plans of other organisations to target PFCs to phase out.

However, Ms MacDaniel says that “at this time, there's not a good substitute” for alternatives to fluorinated chemicals in the built environment.

The company has worked with its vendors to identify alternatives to PFCs in the absence of a suitable stain-resistance added chemical. For example, it is currently exploring the use of wipeable, PVC-free, non-woven furniture coverings, while ensuring that the new materials maintain the desired look and feel of the brand.

“There isn't a silver bullet,” says Ms MacDaniel. During this transitional period, the company is working to answer, “what are the best things that you can do until there's a viable option out there?”

But Jessica Bowman, executive director for the FluoroCouncil, says that fluorinated technologies “are crucial to the building and construction industry and can play a particularly important role in 16-1-22 Chemical Watch | News Item | Kaiser Permanente bans PFCs from its building projects hospitals and health clinics”. She adds that their functionalities “provide an important layer of protection for patients and healthcare professionals”.

“We want hospital administrators and those working in the building and construction sector to know that the new generation of fluorotechnology has an improved environmental and human health profile,” says Ms Bowman.

Recently, Kaiser Permanente phased out the use of other substances of concern, including flame retardants in furniture, and 15 antimicrobials in fabric, furniture and finishes.