The challenges of going PFAS-free

Fluorinated pollution has been linked to public health problems and brutal effects in the atmosphere. At the same time, PFAS and other fluorine-containing materials are really good at their jobs, endowing consumer, industrial, and safety products with properties that are hard to beat. As governments are starting to ban some fluorinated chemicals, scientists are figuring out what will take their place. Some alternatives have already made their way to market, but in many cases, the materials still need work or—perhaps more difficult—the systems they are assimilated into need rethinking. From electronic door handles to massaging seats , there’s no shortage of flashy upgrades in new cars. But Volkswagen’s electric ID.3 series ushered in a change that most drivers may have missed. Since 2020, automakers Volkswagen, Audi, and Škoda Auto have manufactured over 700,000 vehicles that use carbon dioxide as a refrigerant to keep both engines and cabins at just the