Analytics for Uncovering Discourse on the Dangerous Forever Chemical (PFAS)
Throughout the project the students analyzed 5,642 public responses to the proposed EU-wide PFAS restriction, examining stakeholder stances, lobbying arguments, and industry involvement using LLM-based text classification.
The students analyzed 5,642 public responses submitted to the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) regarding the proposed EU-wide PFAS restriction. The focus was on understanding stakeholder positions, lobbying arguments, and the industries involved. Different LLM-based methods were applied and tested for text classification.
After their analysis, the following key observations were made: there is no alternative for chemicals. The economic impact of the ban could lead to a loss of EU competitiveness. And lastly, some PFAS chemicals are less hazardous than others.