Your Home May Be a PFAS Source: The Built Environment and Forever Chemicals
People in developed nations spend approximately 90% of their time indoors. The buildings we inhabit—our homes, offices, schools, and hospitals—contain PFAS in numerous building products and materials. From carpet fibers to upholstered furniture, from roofing membranes to window sealants, PFAS has been incorporated into construction materials for decades as a performance-enhancing additive. Indoor PFAS exposures from building materials may rival dietary and water exposures for many people, yet building material PFAS has received far less regulatory attention than food contact and water treatment uses.
PFAS in Flooring and Textile Applications
Carpet and upholstery fabric treatments account for a major fraction of building material PFAS use. Stain-resistant carpet treatments—commercially known as brands like Scotchgard and StainMaster—have been reformulated multiple times following restrictions on long-chain PFAS, but many installed carpets in buildings constructed before 2015 contain legacy long-chain PFAS stain treatments. As these carpets age and degrade, PFAS compounds migrate from carpet fibers to carpet dust, settling on floors and becoming a chronic exposure pathway—particularly for infants and toddlers who spend extensive time on floor surfaces and engage in more frequent hand-to-mouth behaviors.
Hardwood floor finishes, concrete sealers, and grout treatments used in bathrooms and kitchens may contain PFAS compounds for water and stain resistance. Breathable waterproof roofing underlays and facade systems—increasingly common in energy-efficient building envelopes—often incorporate fluoropolymer components that, while themselves not highly mobile, involve PFAS manufacturing byproducts that may be present as residual contaminants in the installed product.
PFAS in Architectural Coatings and Sealants
Architectural coatings—exterior paints, primers, and protective surface treatments—have historically used PFAS as leveling agents, surfactants, and water-repellent additives. Fluoropolymer coatings for metal building panels (Kynar-type coatings), architectural glass coatings, and high-performance concrete coatings all incorporate PFAS-derived components for durability, chemical resistance, and self-cleaning properties. The construction sector represents one of the largest volume users of fluoropolymer coatings globally, with applications on skyscrapers, bridges, stadiums, and industrial facilities.
Silicone and polyurethane sealants used in facade joints, window installations, and expansion joints may contain PFAS processing aids. When these sealants weather and degrade over building lifetimes of 30 to 50 years, PFAS compounds may be released in small quantities to rainwater flowing over building surfaces, contributing to local stormwater PFAS loading. Building demolition and renovation activities concentrate this exposure: grinding, cutting, and removing PFAS-treated building materials creates dust and debris that can expose workers and adjacent occupants to elevated PFAS levels.
Regulatory Response and Green Building Standards
Green building certification programs—LEED, BREEAM, WELL, and Living Building Challenge—are beginning to incorporate PFAS requirements into their materials health credits. The Living Building Challenge’s Red List explicitly includes PFAS compounds, prohibiting their intentional use in materials used on certified projects. LEED’s Materials and Resources credits reference third-party product transparency standards (including Health Product Declarations and Declare labels) that disclose PFAS content, enabling project teams to make informed procurement decisions. The WELL Building Standard’s air quality optimization protocols address indoor PFAS emissions from building materials as part of a comprehensive indoor air quality framework.