Recovery of fluoride from ‘forever chemicals’ could lead to circular economy for fluorine

A method for the degradation of ‘forever chemicals’ called per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) coupled with fluoride recovery has been developed by applying a phosphate‑enabled mechanochemical process. This approach reduces the environmental impact of PFAS and could supplement fluorspar, the fast-depleting mineral used for producing fluorochemicals.