Kurita Water Industries will begin full-scale efforts for joint developments to commercialize “PFAS-free components,” which neither contain PFAS materials nor use PFAS in the manufacturing process, for water treatment facilities.
PFAS is a general term for artificially created organic fluorine compounds with high chemical and heat resistance, which are used in various products, from industrial to consumer, due to their water- and oil-repellent properties. However, some PFASs have been identified as harmful, such as carcinogenic or affecting children's growth, so water quality and manufacturing regulations concerning PFAS have been implemented in recent years, particularly in Europe and the United States. In Japan as well, water quality standards for tap water and regular testing for PFOA and PFOS, which have been confirmed to be harmful among PFAS, will be mandated in the fiscal year 2026.
To recognize addressing PFAS as one of the social issues related to water and the environment, the Kurita Group is working to collect and analyze multifaceted information on the impact of PFAS in its business areas and consider how to respond, centering on the PFAS Countermeasures Office established in October 2023. Based on our technical knowledge, we are also supporting customers in solving PFAS issues related to analyzing, treating, and disposing of treated materials. In addition, as part of these efforts, we are jointly developing PFAS-free components for water treatment facilities by engaging in dialogue with a variety of material and molding companies and user companies, prototyping components, and demonstrating prototypes using actual water treatment facilities at the Kurita Innovation Hub (Akishima City, Tokyo), our group's innovation creation hub.
As the first step in our efforts regarding PFAS-free materials, ASAHI YUKIZAI CORPORATION (Head office: Taito-ku, Tokyo) and Kurita are jointly developing a diaphragm valve made of PFAS-free engineering plastic(*2) material, and demonstration tests in the water treatment facilities of multiple users will begin this spring, with the aim of early commercialization of the product. In addition to diaphragm valves, Kurita will also move forward with developing and demonstrating the joint development of piping and other components and will promote this initiative with a view to contributing to the practical use of PFAS-free materials not only for water treatment facility components but also for different equipment and plants in general.
The Kurita Group will continue to utilize the knowledge about water that it has accumulated since its founding to create technologies, products, services, and business models that provide new value to customers and society. We also aim to contribute to realizing a sustainable society by resolving social issues related to water and the environment.
