GoPro Review, Is GoPro Non-Toxic?
Across 16 graded products, GoPro averages Excellent (85/100). On disclosure, the brand says nothing publicly about PFAS. 16 of its products grade Good or better. Grades are model-based estimates, not lab results.
PFAS Authority is a scoring system, not a laboratory. We do not test products ourselves. Grades are model-based, built from published ingredients, materials, certifications, brand disclosures and third-party lab results where they exist. See the rubric.
Does GoPro have PFAS, by category
Worth buying from GoPro Good or better, best-graded first
GoPro
Mission 1 Protective Housing
Polycarbonate and silicone housing, lens glass
Polycarbonate stress-cracking and microplastic release
Polycarbonate can degrade if exposed to UV light, high heat, or organic solvents over…
Silicone gasket degradation
Silicone gaskets can harden, shrink, or lose elasticity after 3-5 years of UV and…
Mold or bacterial growth inside sealed housing
If water enters through a degraded gasket and is trapped inside the housing, mold or…
Low risk. Standard action camera housing with minimal PFAS risk.
⚠Brand says nothing about PFAS
GoPro
Protective Housing for HERO9 Black
Polycarbonate housing with waterproof seals
Gasket material degradation
Rubber or silicone gaskets may harden or crack over years of UV exposure and thermal…
No coating described, and no PFAS statement from the brand.
⚠Brand says nothing about PFAS
GoPro
Hero Waterproof Diving Housing Surfing Protective Case
Polycarbonate or acrylic housing with waterproof seals
Gasket material degradation and microbial colonization
Rubber or silicone gaskets can harbor bacteria and mold if not dried regularly…
Colorant or additive migration in recycled polycarbonate
If this case uses recycled polycarbonate, colorants or flame retardant additives from…
Pressure-related seal failure and water ingress
At depth, mechanical seals can fail if not seated correctly or if gaskets have lost…
No coating described, and no PFAS statement from the brand.
⚠Brand says nothing about PFAS
GoPro
Protective Housing
Polycarbonate/plastic housing with waterproof sealing
PFAS
Seams, gaskets, and water-repellent coating treatments on the housing interior are not…
Optical coating degradation
The transparent lens window may have anti-reflective or anti-scratch coatings that…
Microplastic shedding from polycarbonate wear
Repeated insertion and removal of the camera, impact damage, or UV-induced embrittlement…
Medium risk. Skip until waterproof treatment chemistry details are disclosed.
⚠Brand says nothing about PFAS
GoPro
Dive Housing for HERO11 Black Mini
Polycarbonate lens dome, unspecified seals and gaskets
Polycarbonate optical clarity degradation (UV/thermal)
Prolonged storage in sunlight or hot environments can cause polycarbonate to yellow and…
PFAS
Waterproof elastomer seals in dive housings commonly contain PFAS-based surfactants or…
Microcracking of polycarbonate under thermal cycling
Repeated heating and cooling cycles (e.g., warm camera, cold ocean water) can initiate…
Gasket compression set and hydrolysis over years
Elastomer seals can lose flexibility and water-sealing properties after years of…
Medium risk. Waterproof housing likely uses polymer seals, brand discloses nothing.
⚠Brand says nothing about PFAS
GoPro
Hero 13/12 11 10/9 Waterproof Housing Case
Polycarbonate or acrylic plastic housing with waterproof seals
Microplastic shedding from gasket wear
Silicone or rubber seals can gradually degrade under UV exposure, temperature cycling, or…
PFAS
water-repellent coating treatments on rubber seals or lens coatings commonly use short-…
Medium risk. Waterproof case likely uses water-repellent coating treatment, brand provides no disclosure.
⚠Brand says nothing about PFAS
GoPro
Fit Still Waterproof Case for Go Pro Hero 13/12/11/10/9
Plastic case
Plastic degradation and leaching
Polycarbonate and ABS can degrade under prolonged UV exposure or extreme temperature…
Seal material degradation
Gaskets are typically silicone or rubber compounds that can become brittle or permeable…
No coating described, and no PFAS statement from the brand.
⚠Brand says nothing about PFAS
GoPro
K&F Concept Waterproof Case for GoPro Hero 13 Black
Hard-shell polymer case
Polymer degradation and leaching under heat stress
Hard-shell polymers like polycarbonate can release small amounts of oligomers or…
Seal and fastener corrosion or degradation
Waterproof cases depend on rubber or silicone seals and metal/plastic fasteners; salt…
Off-gassing of volatile organic compounds (VOCs)
New hard-shell polymer cases may emit low levels of VOCs (from manufacturing residues or…
No coating described, and no PFAS statement from the brand.
⚠Brand says nothing about PFAS
GoPro
HB-Series Lens Collection for HERO13 Black
Glass and optical lens elements
Optical coating degradation
Vapor-deposited anti-reflective and water-repellent coatings can degrade with age or…
Fungal or microbial growth on glass surfaces
Glass itself is not a substrate for microbial colonization, but dust and moisture trapped…
Glass lens elements present lower concern for PFAS.
⚠Brand says nothing about PFAS
GoPro
Hero 3+ 4 Underwater Lens Filter Kit
Optical glass lens, plastic/polymer frame
Polymer frame degradation over time
Plastic frames can become brittle or lose dimensional stability after 3-5 years of UV and…
Seal integrity and bacterial/mold growth
If gaskets are not dried after underwater use, trapped moisture can promote mold in the…
No coating described, and no PFAS statement from the brand.
⚠Brand says nothing about PFAS
GoPro
K&F Concept 4-in-1 Filter Kit for GoPro HERO9/10/11
Glass optical filters, metal frames, rubber gaskets
Rubber gasket degradation
Synthetic rubber gaskets can harden or crack over years of UV and salt exposure…
Anodized aluminum frame corrosion
Anodizing protects aluminum but can pit or flake if scratched and exposed to salt or…
Glass breakage and sharp edges
Optical glass is brittle; drops or impacts can shatter the filter element, creating sharp…
Glass optics rarely contain PFAS.
⚠Brand says nothing about PFAS
GoPro
PolarPro Circular Polarizer Filter for GoPro HERO
Optical glass lens and aluminum alloy frame
Fragmentation or sharp edges (manufacturing defect)
If the glass is dropped or struck, the filter could shatter, creating sharp glass shards.…
Glass and aluminum unlikely PFAS sources.
⚠Brand says nothing about PFAS
GoPro
SANDMARC Aqua Filter Kit GoPro Hero 13
Optical glass lens and seals
Elastomer seal degradation
Silicone or rubber seals can harden or crack over time, especially in saltwater or…
Bacterial or algae growth on seals/threads
If seals are not fully dried between uses, or if the case is stored wet, bacterial…
No coating described, and no PFAS statement from the brand.
⚠Brand says nothing about PFAS
GoPro
Fotodiox GoTough Silicone Mount for GoPro Hero & Hero5 Session Camera
Silicone mount (elastomer)
Heavy metals
Black silicone may contain carbon black pigment, which has no hazard of this kind on…
Mold and bacterial growth on grip surface
Silicone's porous surface can trap moisture and harbor microbes if stored damp. This is a…
Silicone mounts rarely hold PFAS.
⚠Brand says nothing about PFAS
GoPro
TELESIN Underwater Housing GoPro Hero
Polycarbonate, rubber seals
Rubber seal degradation over time
Elastomer seals lose flexibility and develop micro-cracks after 2-5 years of regular use…
Polycarbonate stress cracking under mechanical impact
Polycarbonate is impact-resistant but can develop stress fractures if dropped sharply or…
Mold or bacterial growth in seal cavity
If the case is stored wet or not dried thoroughly after freshwater rinse, moisture…
Optical degradation (fogging, scratching)
The polycarbonate lens window can accumulate internal condensation if temperature…
No coating described, and no PFAS statement from the brand.
⚠Brand says nothing about PFAS
GoPro
Flip Filters FLIP12 DIVE & DEEP Filter Kit for GoPro HERO5/6/7/8/9/10/11/12
optical glass and plastic filter elements
Microplastics
Repeated removal and installation of plastic-threaded filter housings may generate…
Bacterial or fungal growth in sealed filter housing
If filters are stored wet or in high-humidity conditions without drying, mold or algae…
Optical glass and plastic filter elements with no coating on record.
⚠Brand says nothing about PFAS
GoPro and PFAS, common questions
- Does GoPro have PFAS?
- We graded 16 GoPro products, averaging Excellent (85/100). 16 grade Good or better. Grades are model-based estimates built from published materials, ingredients and disclosures, not lab tests.
- Is GoPro non-toxic?
- GoPro Mission 1 Protective Housing is the highest-graded GoPro product we have scored, at 85/100. It depends on the product line rather than the brand, so check the grade of the exact item you are buying.
- Which GoPro products are lower concern for PFAS?
- The highest-graded GoPro products we have scored are GoPro Mission 1 Protective Housing, GoPro Protective Housing for HERO9 Black, Gopro Hero Waterproof Diving Housing Surfing Protective Case. That is our model-based estimate from materials and public disclosure, not a lab test.
Every grade uses the same public rubric. How grades work →