Berkley FireLine · Fishing Line
30 lb Berkley Fire Line
Fishing line with Teflon-family coating, PFAS risk unclear, low consumer priority.
Berkley FireLine is braided polyethylene with Teflon-family coating for durability. PFAS content remains undisclosed by the manufacturer.
The better-graded swap
Trilene
Berkley Trilene XT Solar Monofilament Service Spool
85/100 safety
Same rubric that flunked this product. The swap earned Excellent.
Still want this one anyway? Check the price on Amazon. We’d swap it.
Material
Braided polyethylene coating with Teflon-family coating
Brand disclosure
Brand is silent on PFAS
Lab data
No public lab test
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What 30 lb Berkley Fire Line is made of, ingredients and materials
Berkley FireLine is a braided polyethylene core with a Teflon-family coating designed for abrasion resistance and low visibility in water. The Teflon-family coating layer (likely a polyvinylidene fluoride or similar compound) is the source of potential PFAS, though the coating is mechanically bonded rather than chemically integrated into the fiber. Because this is a fishing line, a use-case where the product remains in water or on equipment rather than being ingested or heavily handled, the exposure pathway differs from food-contact or textiles.
What’s concerning
Category baseline
The starting point for this type of product, before anything specific to this product is counted.
No PFAS disclosure
No public statement from the brand about PFAS in this product.
Fluoropolymer detected
A Teflon-family coating is recorded for this product.
PFAS
The Teflon-family coating can degrade, shed microfibers, and potentially leach PFAS into freshwater and marine environments over the product's lifetime. This is an environmental rather than direct consumer hazard but contributes to bioaccumulation in aquatic ecosystems.
Source, ATSDR ↗Mechanical entanglement and wildlife ingestion
Fishing line is a known hazard to birds, turtles, and fish if discarded improperly. This is a use-disposal issue rather than material toxicity, but proper end-of-life management is critical.
Coating degradation over time and UV exposure
Teflon-family coating coatings on fishing line degrade under UV light and temperature extremes, particularly in sun-exposed storage or saltwater use. Degradation reduces line performance and may increase microfiber shedding.
Microplastics
Braided polyethylene fibers can fragment and shed microplastics during use, especially under tension or when the coating is compromised. These particles are released into water environments.
Source, EPA ↗What’s reassuring
No chemical residue or direct skin absorption risk
Fishing line does not contact food, is not heated, and prolonged skin contact is minimal during use. Direct chemical ingestion or dermal absorption is not a documented pathway for this product.
How is this PFAS grade calculated?
The brand's record and disclosure
Berkley (owned by Pure Fishing, a subsidiary of Jarden Corporation) does not publicly disclose PFAS content, testing data, or phaseout commitments for FireLine. The brand has no known consumer safety recalls tied to this product line. No third-party certifications (e.g., OEKO-TEX, bluesign) apply to fishing lines, and the fishing tackle industry lacks unified PFAS labeling standards, leaving end-user transparency limited.
How it compares in its category
Most braided fishing lines (Spiderwire, PowerPro, Daiwa) use similar Teflon-family coating or Teflon-type coating coatings for durability, making this a category-wide issue rather than a Berkley-specific problem. Non-coated or natural-fiber alternatives exist but sacrifice abrasion resistance and performance in saltwater or heavy-cover scenarios. If PFAS avoidance is the priority, monofilament nylon or uncoated polyester braids eliminate Teflon-family coating exposure but trade durability.
If you buy it
Store on a reel or spool away from direct sunlight and heat (UV and temperature degrade Teflon-family coating coatings over 2-3 years). After saltwater use, rinse the line with fresh water to minimize salt corrosion of the coating and reduce microfiber shedding. Replace when the line shows visible cracks, whitening, or loss of luster, as coating degradation may increase PFAS leachate into the water. Handle spools responsibly to avoid littering; discarded line poses entanglement risk to wildlife.
What is not known about PFAS in this product?
- Basis
- Model estimate, 65% confidence, not a lab result
- Lab test
- None on record for this exact product
- Brand statement
- Berkley FireLine has made none
Formulations change between production runs, so check the current label. How we grade.
What are the PFAS-free alternatives to 30 lb Berkley Fire Line?
- Monofilament nylon fishing line
- We found no PFAS statement from the brand
- Microplastic shedding during use
- Monofilament nylon fishing line
- We found no PFAS statement from the brand
- Microplastic fragmentation
- Monofilament nylon fishing line
- We found no PFAS statement from the brand
- UV degradation and polymer brittleness
2 hazards checked on this product, all on its full breakdown.
More fishing line grades
How we score, every product runs through the same public 0-100 rubric based on materials, coatings, brand disclosure, lab findings, and recalls. See the full methodology → Spotted a mistake? Report an error.