How misaligned industry structures stall innovation: a statement from Chief Growth Officer Julius Gloeckner from Cerafiltec:
“As Europe edges closer to regulating the production of PVDF membranes—key contributors to the toxic PFAS, ‘forever chemicals’—the water industry finds itself at a critical crossroads. The European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) is actively assessing the ban on fully fluorinated substances and is expected to announce details regarding the restriction of PVDF in 2025. If implemented, this decision could be the long-overdue catalyst needed to accelerate the adoption of ceramic membranes, driving the industry toward a more sustainable future.
Ceramic membranes as sustainable alternative to PVDF
An article from Global Water Intelligence (GWI) titled ‘Europe’s planned PFAS ban threatens global membrane markets‘ highlights the disruption such a ban could have on the membrane market. However, it also emphasizes the opportunity for the industry to transition to more sustainable alternatives, such as ceramic membranes, which are seen as safer and more environmentally friendly in comparison to PVDF-based membranes.
The urgency of this shift becomes even more apparent when considering the human health impacts linked to PFAS contamination as prevalently reported in studies around the world. PVDF membranes contribute to the environmental burden of PFAS, due to their carbon-fluorine bonds, making them particularly hazardous to human health. Additionally, they contribute to plastic pollution, which negatively impacts the environment and ultimately human health.
Durability, sustainability, performance
Ceramic membranes offer a far superior solution: unmatched durability, sustainability, and performance. Yet their mainstream adoption has been rather slow, largely due to a risk-averse industry and misaligned incentives that have allowed conventional polymeric membranes to remain entrenched. But sticking to what’s familiar is depriving us of the transformative benefits that only widespread adoption can unlock.
Our plastic waste problem is profound. The annual use of polymeric membranes produces plastic waste equivalent to 3.2 billion water bottles, enough to stack to the moon and back. This plastic waste does not just disappear—it proliferates through ecosystems, eventually finding its way back into us.
The superiority of ceramic membranes is blatantly obvious. Fundamentally better for people, the planet, and profit, they already demonstrate clear advantages, including a superior total cost of ownership, reliability, and sustainability.
What is holding us back?
So, what is holding us back? Notoriously slow to embrace change, the water industry suffers from an intricate web of misaligned incentives, inertia, and fragmented mechanics of adoption. Regulations must play a crucial role in orchestrating change. With strategic regulatory support, this shift could occur more rapidly and effectively, enabling the industry to realize substantial economic and environmental gains sooner and with broader impact.
Of course, accelerating the transition to ceramic membranes cannot happen overnight. An accelerated but well-paced, full transition over the next 5-10 years would allow stakeholders to gain hands-on experience, ensuring the successful adoption of ceramic membrane technology.
Technology transitions are needed to ultimately unlock the full benefits of next-generation solutions. Imagine what is possible with ceramic membranes once mainstream adoption is achieved. The benefits we will reap from ceramic membranes will be unparalleled compared to today’s status quo of polymeric membranes. It is in all of our interests to accelerate this transition.
By making bold decisions, rethinking how we incentivize innovation, and taking meaningful action, we can accelerate progress that is not only necessary but crucial for people, the planet, and profit. Now is the time to do so.”
