The ZeroF consortium met on 25–26 March 2025 at VTT’s FutureHub in Espoo, Finland, with many partners also joining online. Hosted by VTT, the two-day meeting brought together researchers, industry experts, and innovation leaders who are working to replace PFAS in textiles and packaging with safer and more sustainable solutions.
Day 1 – From pilots to strategy
The meeting opened with a project status update from coordinator Miika Nikinmaa (VTT), followed by a look at the first reporting period. This set the stage for a day focused on technical results and future planning.
- Textiles: Partners shared promising results from pilot trials on PFAS-free textiles, including solutions for oil and stain resistance and assessments of potential risks.
- Packaging: The discussion then turned to packaging, with updates on new coating solutions, performance tests, and next steps for scaling up.
- Communication and outreach: Alina Giesler (LGI) presented the growing campaign to raise awareness about ZeroF’s work and connect with stakeholders.
- Safe and Sustainable by Design (SSbD): A hands-on workshop led by Nina Jeliazkova (IDEA) and Panagiotis Isigonis (LIST) explored how computational tools can help select safer, more sustainable materials.
The first day closed with a working dinner in Helsinki, hosted by Kemira, where partners exchanged ideas on upcoming publications and joint dissemination activities.
Samples of the developped PFAS-Free packaging
Day 2 – Governance, business, and looking ahead
The second day began with the General Assembly meeting, giving partners an opportunity to review progress and align on priorities.
- Business case and cost analysis: The team from LGI presented approaches for evaluating the economic potential and competitiveness of ZeroF’s solutions.
- SSbD follow-up: The consortium continued discussions on integrating safe and sustainable design into all future developments.
- Upcoming events: Plans were shared for ZeroF’s participation at major conferences, the final project meeting, and the stakeholder event.
- Industry perspective: The meeting concluded with a visit to Kemira’s facilities in Espoo, offering participants a closer look at industrial processes and opportunities for ZeroF solutions in real-world applications.
Moving forward
The Espoo meeting marked an important milestone for ZeroF. From successful pilot trials to plans for wider dissemination and stronger industrial connections, the consortium continues to move closer to its mission: delivering safe, sustainable, and high-performance alternatives to PFAS.
Stay tuned for more updates as we prepare for upcoming events and share new results from across the project.