美国政府正以数据中心建设为由加速化学品监管豁免，可能让含氟的新型“永久化学物质”在缺乏充分审查下获批。EPA 自 9 月起优先审查用于数据中心与“合格项目”的新化学品，这些项目需新增至少 100 兆瓦电力或经多部部长认定具国家安全意义。此前改革导致的审查积压在十年间不断扩大，行业游说强烈，特朗普政府任命多名前化工高管推动清理积案。专家指出，新政策可被利用为化学品“插队”，因项目资格几乎无需证据，只需官员出具证明。
快速审查的最大潜在受益者是数据中心冷却技术和半导体产业。两相浸没式冷却材料市场激增，多家化工企业推出含氟、碳、氢成分的新液体，可节约高达 90% 冷却能源，却与 PFAS 类永久化学物质结构相似。PFAS 已与癌症、免疫抑制和生殖风险相关，正面临欧盟与多州的严格限制。微软研究指出新规可能“限制”两相冷却的未来应用；Exxon、Shell 声称其冷却液“不含 PFAS”，但 Chemours 仍在推进含 PFAS 特征的产品并提交审批准备。半导体制造在光刻与清洗环节大量使用 PFAS，行业亦施压 EPA 放宽新化学品监管。
由于新政策将所有与“数据中心相关”的申请置于快速通道，审核范围被无限扩大，使并非直接服务数据中心的企业也能借此推进化学品上市。专家警告，政治压力与加速机制将迫使审查走捷径并增加长期健康风险。尽管改革可帮助处理积压，但放松监管的增长导向可能引入新型永久化学物质，加深环境与公共健康负担。
The US government is accelerating chemical approvals under the banner of data center expansion, potentially enabling fast-track authorization of fluorinated “forever chemicals” with limited oversight. Since September, the EPA has prioritized new chemicals linked to data centers or “qualifying projects,” defined as adding at least 100 megawatts to the grid or receiving approval from designated cabinet officials. A decade-long review backlog and strong industry lobbying have shaped the push, led by former chemical-industry executives. Experts warn the policy opens broad loopholes: project qualification requires little evidence, enabling companies to move chemicals to the front of the queue.
The largest prospective beneficiaries are data center cooling technologies and the semiconductor industry. Two-phase immersion cooling fluids—an expanding market involving major firms—can reduce cooling energy use by up to 90% but often contain fluorinated structures associated with PFAS. PFAS chemicals are linked to cancer, immune suppression, and reproductive harm, and face tightening regulation in the EU and US states. Microsoft research warns emerging PFAS rules may restrict two-phase cooling; Exxon and Shell market PFAS-free fluids, while Chemours advances PFAS-like products and prepares regulatory submissions. Semiconductor manufacturing heavily relies on PFAS in photolithography and other processes, and industry groups have pressed the EPA to relax new-chemical rules.
Because the policy fast-tracks any chemical tied to loosely defined “data center–related” projects, its scope extends far beyond the sector, allowing companies to justify expedited approval through tenuous links. Experts caution that political acceleration will pressure reviewers toward shortcuts and elevate long-term health and environmental risks. Although reducing backlogs supports growth, the deregulatory approach may introduce new classes of forever chemicals, intensifying cumulative public-health and environmental burdens.